Achieving the Impossible
by The Neon-Panda
Summary: A sequel to Our Time is Running Out. Lixella Cruxshade heads back to America to ressurect a clan of banshees. While there, she discovers just how dark her family history is. But, can she keep the banshees from Voldemorts grip? and save her traitor father?
1. Parchment 1: The Book of Ressurection

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to my first ever SEQUEL!

Yes, in case you didn't know, this is a sequel to my story Our Time is Running Out

I would like to thank Dizzy Potter for the Title idea. My boyfriend says it sound like a self help book, but I think it fits all too perfectly!

So, on with the show!

Enjoy

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 1: The Book of Resurrection

Lixella sat at a long table, in a cold room, feeling rather sick. Voldemort had risen to power, nearly striking the ministry down. The Death Eater meeting had grown in size, as well as in shock value. For tonight's, delightful, entertainment, the dark lord had chosen to suspend a woman in mid air, while unconscious. The atmosphere in the room could only be described as sickeningly still. No one made eye contact, they all listened to Voldemort, trying to avoid his judgment. Lixella Cruxshade, however, was completely distracted, paying not one bit of attention to the dark lord. She, instead, was caught in a distant memory, of the past events of the summer.

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><p>It was a normal day at the ministry. Witches and wizards poured through the massive Floo system, making their way to their jobs and appointments. All around there were news papers, telling of the death of Dumbledore, two months prior. Paper boys shouted headlines, and waved the stories in the open air. Notices were hung on how to spot and avoid Death Eaters. Lixella nearly chuckled, it was funny that she and her uncle Zander were walking among these notices, and no one was aware of their allegiance. Clearly the notices were not doing a very good job of keeping everyone aware.<p>

"Did you bring the papers?" asked her uncle

Lixella rummaged through her purse, "Yes", she said unearthing a large roll of parchment.

They made their way into an elevator, heading towards The Department of Magical and Mysterious Artifacts. Arthus had once worked there, and told them of a book. It had belonged to the original Duskwood family, hundreds of years ago. It interested the ministry because of it's information on resurrection. It had been marked as dark magic, and locked away. However, now that she was 17, the book rightfully belonged to Lixella. It was necessary for her to get a hold of it, if she wanted to resurrect the banshees.

They made their way out of the elevator and down several long hallways. Eventually they came to a pair of large oaken double doors. There was a man sitting at the desk inside, scribbling on some parchment, and mumbling to himself. He was a stout man, short in stature, with round eyes, and glasses.

"How can I help you t…Zander? Is that you?" asked the man, adjusting his spectacles.

"Yes, Barnabus, it's me. It's good to see you again" replied uncle Zander in a warm tone.

"Well, what a surprise" Barnabus closed his book, "and who might this be?"

"This is my niece, Lixella. She's William's daughter" said Zander, motioning to Lixella, "I don't suppose you've seen her around here since she was at least 7."

"Ah, so this is little Lixella. Well, not so small anymore, are you? It is a pleasure to see the both of you again. What can I do for you two?"

Lixella and uncle Zander gave each other a glance. Then Lixella pulled the parchment out of her bag, once more.

"You may want to move your book, sir" said Lixella.

Barnabus gave her a curious nod, and removed his large book. She then placed the parchment at one end of the long desk, and gave it a small nudge. The paper unraveled, rolling all the way down the desk, and to the floor. Barnabus' eyes grew wide, staring at the long and intricately painted family tree.

"This, sir, is the family tree of the Duskwoods" said Lixella, "and here, as you can see, is my very great grandmother, Cordellia Duskwood."

Lixella pointed to a picture of a woman, near the top, with dark hair, a pointed face, and a long neck.

"This, here, is her mother, Sella Cristolie Duskwood" Lixella pointed to the picture of the woman at the very top of the tree. She stared back with a harsh expression on her sharp face. Her fair skin gave her a haunting appearance with her light hair pulled back into a French top bun. Piercing green eyes stared back at Barnabus. "Selluh, is the owner of a book you have in your vault. A very particular book, which, in fact, is my property."

"You mean, the resurrection book?" Barnabus stared at them both in shock, "I'm sorry, Lixella, but I can't let you have it."

"Why not? It's a family artifact, and belongs to me." she said.

"It is believed to contain very dark magic" he turned to Zander, "Zander, truly you aren't letting her have it."

"I cannot argue with her Barnabus" said uncle Zander, "It _is_ rightfully hers, she is 17. And, after all, I doubt she would be able to use any of the spells in there. It is written in some strange language, after all. "

"I am here for ownership. It means a great deal to my family, and to me. That book has been a Duskwood lost item for centuries. No one can read the scripture in it."

"Lixella, I am sorry, but nowhere in the book does it say your name." said Barnabus, he was running out of arguments. "It is the property of Sella Cristolie Duskwood, she never left it to anyone."

"May I see it sir, please?" asked Lixella politely.

Barnabus shook his head, and stared down at the floor. He then proceeded through a pair of large iron doors, containing a hall of shelves. Upon finding the book he pulled it off of the shelf. Then, with great unhappiness, he made his way back, placing it on the desk.

Lixella stared down at the book. It was bound in black leather, with clear white stitch marks. The Duskwood insignia of a willow tree on fire, was cast in iron, and attached to the front. She picked it up, and opened the cover. Then, she touched her wand to the space between the cover and the first page, sliding it down. Suddenly, black ink rose from the inside cover.

_This book is property of the first and last of the Duskwood women. All others shall not be able to read it's content. _

"I am not sure if you know this sir" said Lixella, pointing to the book, and then to her picture on the family tree. "I am the last of the Duskwood women. My aunt Marceline never had a child. Therefore, this book, as it is written, is rightfully mine." She looked up at Barnabus for a moment, he seemed extremely unsure of everything. "Please, sir, I am only here for what belongs to my family. My parents are dead, and I am the last of the line, I only want what is left of my lineage."

"Ms. Lixella Willow Cruxshade" started Barnabus, his eyes narrowed, "I will _not_ give you this book. I am aware of the folklore of your family, and I know who you are. But, I cannot have you raising that army of banshees."

"They aren't an army, sir" said Lixella coldly, "They are a species, and by doing this you are denying them their right to live freely. I am not raising an army, I am raising a group of creatures who came to my family in a desperate time of need. They made a promise, and I intend to keep it, at all costs. How dare you deny them life."

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><p>Several mintues later, Lixella and uncle Zander came marching out of the The Department of Magical and Mysterious Artifacts. Lixella stuck the book, safely, in her purse, smiling all the way to the elevator. She couldn't believe that she had just achieved taking such a dark item straight from the shelf of the Ministry. The two of them were headed back to the floo system, when Lixella's eyes caught a figure down an adjacent hallway.<p>

She paused, and turned around, her entire body in shock. The figure that she had seen a few moments ago, was gone. Lixella peered down the hallway in confusion.

"Dad…" she whispered.

He had been standing only a few yards away from her. She could've sworn that she'd spotted his long dark blue traveling cloak, and his short black hair. Or, perhaps she had just imagined him. She glanced down the hallway once more, but it was empty. Then, with hesitance, she made her way over to her uncle.

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><p>She replayed the memory in her head, over and over. Trying to figure out why her father was there. It was shocking, knowing that he was alive, and being able to see him again. But, How?<p>

Suddenly, she was interrupted by a loud thud. She jumped, grabbing onto the arms of her chair, her heart pounding. Then, her expression became terrified, for there, in front of her, was the dead body of a woman. Someone had just been killed, and Lixella was paying no attention at all. She wondered, for a second, what else she had missed during the meeting. She sat, inhaling short breaths, staring at the dead woman on the table. Then, another thud crossed her ears, she looked across the table. The chair beside Narcissa was empty, for Draco had fallen out of his seat and onto the floor. Lixella glanced for a second, at the Malfoys, who seemed just as disturbed as her. Her gaze moved back towards the body on the table, the woman looked familiar, but Lixella wasn't sure who she was.

"Uncle" she said, later after the meeting, "who was that woman?"

"Charity Burbage" he said, making his way out of the dining hall door, "Professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts"

"That's what I thought" said Lixella.

Truly, this year was going to be terrible. Over the summer, Lixella had become twice as terrified of Voldemort, as he had become more violent. Though, she was still able to keep her composure in his presence, she was becoming worse at it. Every meeting made her sick. He always managed to kill or torture someone, trying to make a point. She had once imagined what it would be like if her father was caught. Needless to say, that image did not ever come to mind, again.

She stared forwards, mindlessly following her uncle Zander, not knowing exactly where they were headed. She was only hoping that they were headed out of Malfoy manor, and far away from Voldemort.

"Lixella" called a voice from across the foyer. She turned to find Professor Snape looking at her with a plain expression. She stopped and made her way over to him.

"Did you manage to retrieve that book?" asked Snape.

"Yes, Why?" she said.

She didn't trust Snape very much.

"Just, wondering…run into anyone, interesting, on your way there?" he asked.

Surely he didn't know about her father being at the ministry.

"No" she said coldly, "I didn't. Anything else, or are you quite finished interrogating me?"

"A tongue as sharp as your father's" said Snape, "It'd do you well to lose that trait. It never served him well."

"Serves me just fine" said Lixella.

She glanced over to the dining hall door, Draco and his parents had just left the room, looking rather unhappy with everything.

"Lixella, darling, come back over here" shouted her uncle from across the room.

Lixella glared at Snape, and headed over to her uncle.

"You have got to stop wandering off, dear" said her uncle.

"Sorry, uncle Zander" she said, "Snape wanted to know about the book."

"Ugh, that man, always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong." scoffed uncle Zander. "Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, hello" he called to the approaching Malfoy family, "I am very sorry that Voldemort keeps using your house."

"Yes" spat Narcissa, "It is complicated, accommodating so many, and so much."

"It _does _seem a bit rude, just _forcing_ his way in" said Lixella unpleasantly. She was quickly jabbed in the arm by her uncle. "Sorry", she mumbled, biting her tongue.

"All the bite of your father, you have there." said Lucius

"She does act almost just like William, doesn't she?" inquired her uncle, "but, you carry it much better then he did. I suppose that comes from your mother, Altria. Never did hold back, your dad."

"That's what everyone keeps telling me." said Lixella.

She was getting quite tired of this strange hatred of her father's blunt attitude. Personally, Lixella always admired her father's ability to speak his mind, and not hold back. She liked that her parents were tough, and strong willed. It took a lot to make them give in, she was proud to call them her parents.

"I like it" said Draco. Lixella smiled.

"Yes, son, we all know how much you_ like_ Lixella." said Lucius, rolling his eyes.

"well, we'd better be off" said uncle Zander, "Iris must be worried sick by now, come on Lixella. Goody bye Lucius, Narcissa, Draco."

"See ya" said Lixella, giving Draco a hug, "Good bye Mrs. Malfoy, Mr. Malfoy"

"Perhaps, sometime, you'll be able to visit for a reason other than meetings" said Narcissa.

"Hopefully" said Lixella as she headed towards her uncle.

The two of them made their way out of the door, down the long pathway, through the gates, and into a black car. Both of Lixella's relatives hated apparting, it was not something that they had mastered. Had her aunt Iris been there, they would have been traveling by means of a flying carriage. Uncle Zander, in fact, despised the flying carriage, and only kept it around for his wife. It was one of the few things that they did not agree on. Lixella preferred to be in a car, on the ground. She turned and stared out of the back window, watching the manor grow smaller as they drove away. Perhaps, one day, she would be able to visit Draco, without having Voldemort there. However, for now, she would just have to put up with these terrible meetings.

This year was going to be rough on her. She knew that she would have to ressurect the banshees of Duskwood. Voldemort wanted them for his massive magical dark army. Lixella, however, refused to let him control an entire race like that, especially one that she had close ties with. Therefore, she would have to figure out a way to go against Voldemort without having herself, or anyone else, killed. This year, she would truly have to achieve the impossible.

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><p>So, that is chapter 1! woo hoo, and the story continues :D<p>

Now, I am re-reading the 7th book as i write this, so this story may take a tiddly bit longer than my last one ^_^

I'd like to thank

DizzyPotter ( Thank you a bunch!For the title, and the messages, and your awesome reviews ^_^)

Lily (who suggested a wonderful song to me called safe and sound)

Ikisha (I have not yet figured out if the ending will be good or not, I may write two separate endings and see which one everybody prefers)

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx ( and now, I SHALL KEEP GOING XD )

also, adealreman, mreidlovingyouisbest, keeluvsfangsandslytherin, and SolitaryNight for the favorites!

Please review this story, I do very much enjoy feedback, and it would make me super happy to hear from you guys ^_^

See you in Parchment 2!


	2. Parchment 2: I'll Never Leave You

Oh my gosh I'm so sorry you guys! I have avoided this chapter long enough...I'm so sorry for taking so long.

Here it is, finally! I promise to not take this long again!

Thank you to Raine Amorial, Aoi Kazuya, adealerman, beccaxx123, Caitlinxcowz, lovingyouisbest, and limihiutale89 for the favorites!

also, thank you to Raine Amorial, DizzyPotter, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, and altissimorganerocks for the reviews!

So, anyway, enjoy the second chapter...so sorry for the wait ^_^

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 2: I'll Never Leave You

Lita stared around the room, frozen in shock by a noise she had just heard. She had been trying to clean the drawing room for the past 2 hours. She was having problems, however, because of a curious thumping noise that she kept hearing. It would come in at random moments while she was wiping down the tables. Normally, she would say that Lixella was upstairs throwing things around her room. However, it was now 1 a.m., and Lixella was surely in bed. Lita held a dirty dusting cloth in one hand, took a shaky glance around, and began scrubbing down a table. "Aargh!", came a shout from the surrounding area. Lita fell to the floor, she stared around the room in fear, then quickly exited. Surely, she could tidy up this room later.

Meanwhile, upstairs, the thumping continued, as an array of shoes flew out of the closet of a 17 year old girl. They came flying out of the doors, each hitting the opposite wall with a thud. Lixella gave a very loud and annoyed grunt at her current state. It was 1 a.m. and she had been trying to pack. However, this was proving much more difficult than she had planned. It couldn't be that hard, packing to leave, could it? Certainly, all she had to do was dump everything in a bag.

She rushed out of the closet, her hair in a tangled mess. She pulled it back into a pony tail, and proceeded to search through her shoes. It had not occurred to her that she would not be traveling by flying carriage. This time, she would be arriving home via the Floo network. Therefore, she had to pack much lighter than usual.

For the entirety of the summer, the Floo network to her home had been blocked. . Ever since her parents were killed, the Bureau of Magic in America had been running an investigation on her home. All entrances, unless on foot, had been blocked and covered. But, now that Voldemort had taken over the ministry, he was in control of magical murder cases, even those over seas. It was simple, really, all he had to do was get someone to sign off on a completed murder report, and have it delivered to one of the magical detectives, who was under the imperious curse.

In a matter of days, all protective covers were removed from the house. Now, all Lixella had to do was go home, unlock the family room, and raise a clan of banshees. Everything seemed simple enough, right? Of course not, she knew that this year was going to be terrible. She had been given until the new year to raise the banshees from the dead, and take her place as their leader. It was atrocious, having a deadline for something so vast. It would take her all of fall and winter to even figure it out.

She realized that she was now stuck in the same situation as Draco was last year. Having her own mission, and nearly no one to help her. Help had been offered, but she told everyone that she did not want to drag them all the way to America. Plus, this was something that she had to accomplish on her own. The prophecy had only spoken of her, and only she could bring the Duskwood banshees back to life.

She gave up on trying to match shoes, and flopped onto her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Her mind wandered off, towards what a regular year would be like. At this moment, she would be sleeping, waiting for the morning when she would board the sky rail. She would be anticipating seeing Nym again, talking with her about how wonderful their summer had been, and how school was going to be so nice.

She missed Nym, they had lost contact since the beginning of last August, when Lixella moved away. It had been dreadful, thinking about it all. Had Nym moved on and found a new best friend? Had she found someone like Jynx? Or, perhaps, she was just stuck in her house, with her overly protective parents, waiting for someone to come save her. Maybe, if Lixella was lucky, she would get to somehow see her Lunareth friends again.

And what of her friends at Hogwarts? Attending school had been made mandatory, there was no way to get out of it. Surely, all of her friends were returning. Right now, Jynx was asleep, her bags packed and waiting for their departure on the Hogwarts express in a few hours. The thought of all of her friends going back to school seemed too normal for Lixella. It was as if last school year had hardly happened, as if it had been 10 years ago, instead of a few months.

Tomorrow would mark the beginning of Lixella living on her own. She was the new owner of the Duskwood estate. Now, when she went back, it would be as the head of the house. Lixella closed her eyes, picturing the long winding entrance to her house. As she walked down the graveled entrance, the sun on her face, tree branches hanging over the pathway, she drifted off to sleep.

She bolted up suddenly, a loud, high pitched screech had woken her up.

"Lixella Willow Cruxshade!" yelled the all too familiar voice of her aunt Iris, "Where are you?"

Lixella grumbled sleepily, and then got up from her bed, only to fall onto the floor. She was even sleepier than she had thought, her legs weren't awake yet. She sat herself up against the bed post, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. Then, her door swung open.

"Merlin's Beard, child!" screeched her aunt, "Are you just now waking up?"

Lixella did not answer, her head was stuck in dream land. Instead, she blinked lazily at her aunt in confusion.

"And what is that?" she pointed to the suit case, "You aren't even packed! If your mother was here…If _I_ was your mother, you would not behave like this."

"If you were my mother, I would be miserable" Lixella grumbled without thinking. Aunt Iris cleared her throat rather forcefully, and glared at Lixella in anger.

"25 minutes…that's it!" said aunt Iris, and she slammed the door.

Lixella shook her head, wiping the sleep from her eyes one last time. She then got up and made her way to her closet, stepping over piles of clothing and belongings. Did she mean 25 minutes to pack? Or, to get ready? Or, was it 25 for both? Lixella went for both, she figured that aunt Iris looked angry enough.

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><p>Aunt Iris sat in a large velvet chair in the foyer. She had been anticipating the ringing of the door bell for a good few minutes now. However, she kept a nice reserve, and sat with perfect posture. A loud crash came from the kitchen, she peered around the wall, and down the entrance hall with a terrible grimmace on her face. Nothing was going to go wrong today. She would not allow anything embarrassing to come from her niece.<p>

The door bell rang and aunt Iris shot out of her seat, standing perfectly straight. After realizing her anticipation, she quickly straightened her business coat, as if nothing had happened. She then cleared her throat and called a house elf over to open the door. She could have opened it herself, seeing as she was right there, but why bother when you have someone else to do it for you?

A small house elf, by the name of Ziz scurried into the room. He opened the door and gave a small bow to the people on the other side, escorting them in.

"Narcissa, Draco, It's so good to see you two" said aunt Iris, in the perfect hostess voice, "Where's Lucius?"

"He's attending to…business, with Voldemort." said Narcissa, peering around unpleasantly. "However, we aren't without a third party."

Just then, a tall man with draped black hair, and a large nose stepped up to the door.

"Severus Snape?" said aunt Iris, rather confused by his presence, "It's, er, interesting to see you here. Shouldn't you be at Hogwarts? Being the new headmaster and all."

"No, I'm here to make sure the girl can be transported." he replied, "The good thing about being headmaster is, you can apparate to and from the school, when you so choose."

"Well, it certainly is a pleasant surprise" said aunt Iris, "Zander and Lixella are back towards the kitchen. Preparing, last minute things."

Aunt Iris escorted everyone down the main hallway, and into a small kitchen-like area. It was not the main kitchen, for the main one was in the basement. Instead, this one was a small kitchen by the dining hall. It was mostly for plating the food, before it was presented. The room was covered in white tile, with black granite counter tops, and silver faucets. Off to the left, was a door, which at the moment was emitting a strange green smoke.

"Oh dear" mumbled aunt Iris as she noticed the green smoke. Suddenly, there were several loud crashing noises, and Lixella backed out of the doorway, coughing up a storm.

"Yep" she said, covering her mouth with her arm, "That was definitely _not_ the spider venom, Uncle."

She began waving smoke away with her hand, when she turned and noticed the other people in the room.

"Uncle Zander" she called, "We have company!"

Uncle Zander exited the smoking room, and forcefully shut the door. He then brushed some strange green powder off of his shirt, and smiled up at his wife. Aunt Iris just buried her face inot her hands, pretending that she wasn't married to him.

"Ah! Narcissa, Draco…Severus?" he said, lingering on the sight of Snape in his house. "Terribly sorry about the smoke, we were experimenting a bit. Needles to say, it went terribly wrong." he cracked the door an peered in. The room let out a loud belching noise, and he shut the door, "You don't want to go in there".

Lixella, who had just poured herself a glass of water, was wiping the green powder from her black jeans. She glanced over to her aunt, who was giving her the most disapproving look.

"What?" she asked, taking a sip and sitting in a chair, "I've never been good at potions, you know that. This was strictly necessary, it's a potion for resurrection."

"You never did seem like the potions type" said Snape, "not enough…reserve."

Lixella gave him a bitter smile, rolled her eyes, and took another sip.

"Well, it's all written in banshee" she said, placing the glass on the counter, "I, at least, have the patience to read it all."

"So much like your father you are" said Snape, studying her from head to toe.

"Yes" she said, "lovely isn't it. He had, so many…interesting things to say about you, Professor."

They both sat for a bit, glaring at one another. Neither of them wavering from their stance. Lixella did not like Snape, he seemed sketchy to her. He always seemed too reserved, as if he was trying to mask something. However, she had this strange small amount of trust for him. He seemed good at keeping his word, even though, to her, he was a bit shifty.

"Have you packed, Lixella?" asked aunt Iris, trying to break the tension in the room.

"Yes, actually" she said, taking her final sip of water, and placing the glass in the sink.

"Wonderful" said her uncle, "Are you ready to go?"

She nodded.

"Are you sure you're alright?" asked Draco, "Going back all by yourself?"

"Yes" Lixella said, "I think I can handle it."

"Oh you aren't going alone" said aunt Iris, "Lita is accompanying you. She should be up in the library, waiting by the fireplace."

"Well, if you are all prepared to depart, then let's all get to it!" said Uncle Zander, heading towards the stairs.

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><p>They all sat in the library, waiting for Lixella to get her luggage. She arrived through the door, carrying her purple suit case. Everyone seemed to get up at once. They made their way over to her, her uncle took her bags, and set it by the fireplace. It really wasn't necessary, considering that she was just going to pick them back up in a few minutes.<p>

"Well" said her aunt, stepping forward, "I suppose this is good bye, Lixella"

"Yeah" said Lixella, sighing. She had not realized how much she did not want to leave everyone, but she desperately needed to get away from England.

"Okay" said aunt Iris, "Now, we'll be sending someone periodically to check up on you. Just for a week, in case you need any help. I know you don't want it, dear, but I really must insist…"

"It's fine, aunt Iris" said Lixella

"Alright, well, we'll give you a week to settle in. Then, your aunt Marceline should be coming. And, your uncle should come that week as well, to make sure the two of you are all right. Let's say, every other Sunday, we'll send someone to help you. And, do be home for Christmas…I mean this home, not your real home. This place isn't exactly your home, I know it couldn't replace it…"

"Really, aunt Iris" said Lixella, "It's fine. I'll miss you too"

She gave her aunt a hug, knowing that she would honestly miss her. She then turned to her uncle, who had barely anything to say.

"I'll miss you, Lixella, it's been like having my brother around again" said uncle Zander, as he hugged his niece good bye. "You really are _just_ like him."

"I know, uncle Zander" she responded, hugging back. Narcissa smiled at her, and extended her arms up.

"Oh dear, it has been wonderful seeing you again" she said, "Really, _do_ try to recover those memories of yours. It's such a shame that you can't recall your childhood."

"I'll try my hardest, Narcissa" Lixella said, hugging back, "and thank you, for everything."

"it's really nothing, dear, you're welcome in our house, whenever you like." said Narcissa.

Then, Lixella turned to Draco. Everyone seemed to step slightly over to the other side of the room. The two of them stood for a second, staring in silence at everything around them. Neither one really wanted to say good bye, because neither of them wanted to really leave the other alone. They had such a long journey together, so long, that there wasn't much they could say, in order to express how bitter sweet it was to be parting. Narcissa gave aunt Iris a small nudge, and motioned towards the door. Aunt Iris immediately understood, then the four adults, and Lita, left the room.

The minute the door closed, they jumped on each other. Kissing each other with immense passion, both trying to pull the other one closer. They were pressed so tightly against the other, that there was hardly even room for them to breath.

"Dammit" said Draco as they pulled apart, pressing his forehead to hers, "Please don't leave, I'll go crazy, being stuck here alone."

"Oh, darling" she said, trying to carve his scent into her memory, "I wish I could. I wish I could just drop all of this, stay here, go to Hogwarts, and just spend the year with you. But, you know, and I know, that it isn't possible."

"Then, let me come with you" he said, "surely you don't think that you can do this alone?"

"I have to" she said, "This is _my_ job, only I can figure it out. Plus, you have to stay here, with your family, they need you more."

"I love you" he sighed, "be careful, okay?"

"Yeah" she said, kissing him one last time, "I love you too. Just, stay alive, please."

"Promise" he said, and pulled her into one last hug.

Lixella made her way over to the door. Upon opening it, aunt Iris and Narcissa began backing away, looking very guilty. Neither of them wanted to admit that they had been listening in on the conversation. Draco let out a very loud chuckle at the sight of this, but played it off as a cough, once he saw his mother glaring at him. Everyone entered, and Lixella made her way to the fireplace, with Lita by her side. She turned around, and smiled at everyone.

"Well, good bye everyone" she said, picking up the floo powder, "and you, Professor."

Snape merely nodded at her.

"Lita, you ready to go?" she asked, turning to the small house elf.

"Lita has been ready since this morning, ma'am" she responded, beaming with joy. It was a relief for her to be going to live with Lixella. Not to mention, she would be far away from aunt Iris, who she despised.

Lixella took a large breath, sighed, and nodded. "To Duskwood Estate!" she yelled, and threw the powder to the ground.

She and Lita became engulfed in green flames. In a matter of seconds they were gone, traveling miles away, heading home.

Draco sighed heavily, and stared down at the floor. She was gone, left in a rush, just like every one of those summers ago. He wondered if they would both make it. They had both become so dependant on the other. There was no longer anyone to bicker with. No one was there for him to let his anger out on. For the first time, he admitted that he needed someone there with him. At this most crucial time in their lives, they both desperately needed one another. But, it wasn't possible for them to be together. He didn't know how long it would be before he could see her, but until then, he promised to not give up on the two of them. Surely, when all of this was over, he couldn't picture being with anyone but Lixella.

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><p>and it's off to America! woo hoo, I should have parchment 3 up in about two days :D<p>

see you guys then, and please review, i love seeing favorites, but i love hearing from everyone so much more

Speaking of reviews, time to respond to the ones from parchment 1:

DizzyPotter: yeah, that title may sound like that, but I adore it! also, the Lixella and Draco moments are going to leave for a bit, sorry, they have to be separated for a while! :(

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: thank you soooooooo much :D

altissimorangerocks: It's really nice to hear that, and you're welcome, welcome, welcome XD

Raine Amorial: Oh trust me, he's not going to stop supporting her anytime soon, trust me, she'd KILL him if he did!

Thank you everyone, and please review ^_^ or leave me a message, I ADORE hearing from everyone!


	3. Parchment 3: The Family Room

Hello! and welcome to chapter 3! Hopefully you will find out a few things about Lixella's past, and more about her family!

I would like to thank ninjakitty64 for the favorites

Also, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx and DizzyPotter for their reviews ^_^

I hope you guys enjoy it!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 3: The Family Room

The green flames covered Lixella and Lita, lifting them through the air. It felt as if they were floating, and spinning around. Everything became distorted, then their feet hit solid ground once more. In front of Lixella sat the familiar drawing room of the Duskwood estate. She had not seen it in a year, it was strange to be returning after such a long time. Then, as she looked forward, a sight brought a bittersweet ache into her heart. There, in front of the fireplace, turned towards her, were her parents sitting chairs. One was a black leather arm chair, that stood tall and sophisticated. To the right of it, was an elegant white chair, it's arms and legs finished in wood detailing, with a more curved look. The two chairs faced her, as if her parents had been sitting in them, waiting for her arrival.

"Is Miss Lixella okay?" asked Lita, in a high voice.

"Yes, Lita" she replied, staring at the chairs, "I'm fine, let's go put this stuff upstairs."

The two of them made their way out of the drawing room. They entered the foyer, with its grand curving staircase. At the top of the stairs, before they split off into two, was a family portrait of Lixella and her parents. Her mother and father stood gazing at her with smiles on their faces. Lixella was sitting in front of them, turned slightly to the right. She could not stop looking at the picture, it was such a good image of her mother.

Lixella's mother stood to the right, and slightly in front of her father. Her dark thick hair was pulled back into a high bun with short curls falling down. Her features were just as soft as Lixella's, with a gentle round face. She was a bit tall for a woman her age, with a healthy, curvy build. Her legs were long, and she had a high waist. Teal eyes stared back at Lixella, creased because of her smile.

People had always told her that she looked like her mother, but acted like her father. It was very true. She had obtained her mothers lovely dark thick hair, and soft features. However, as sweet as she looked, she had the ferocity and blunt attitude of her father. He was a tall man, with short styled black hair. His face was very squared off, with paneled features. He had an average build, but was a bit more in shape than most men his age. A strong hand was placed on Lixella's right shoulder, and green eyes stared back at her.

The two of them were a good match for each other. Her mother was silent, but deadly. She would hold in whatever was bothering her, until it was too much. If her mother was mad at her, it was usually for a very good reason. She was also quite skilled at masking her emotions, and keeping her composure. She had a strong personality, acting as the rock of their family. Her ability to put aside her emotional problems, and help everyone else, never ceased to amaze Lixella.

However, her father lacked humility. He was never afraid to speak what he thought, to anyone. If he did not like you, he would let you know it. Also, he was particularly good at lying. This was partially because he grew up with uncle Zander, and enjoyed toying with how gullible his brother was. He had passed this trait onto Lixella. However,when she chose, she, like her mom, could hold back her emotions, and lie straight to someone's face. She had also acquired her quirk of being able to think of quick comebacks, from her father. He was particularly good at cutting people down to size, and building them back up.

In fact, Lixella had a bit of a reputation at Lunareth for being snarky. She would often get into bickering wars with random people that she didn't know. It was hard for anyone to beat her at verbal arguments. Mostly everyone in Mothwing would try and beat her at a mind game of witty comebacks. Nym Muse, in fact, offered to hold a tournament once, and sell tickets. She had told Lixella that they should really think about making money off of all of these play fights she was having.

Nym…she suddenly wondered where Nym was? What she was doing? If the school year was going well for her? Or, was she even in school anymore? She even wondered about Mickey. All of her friends from Lunareth crossed her mind, suddenly. There was Eloise Stratis, her second best friend from Mothwing; Billy Boyer, the first student that she ever raced brooms with; Rina McCarthy, the Venomix seeker who had tutored her in potions; Lira Minzle, one of the smartest girls Lixella had ever meet; and Jonny Damian, her insane ex-boyfriend.

The two of them had met during dueling class, they fought each other, and he refused to let a girl win. Lixella was much better than him at spell casting, and defense. He was a reckless boy, but was very good at masking his insanity. The two of them were in constant competitions with each other, for the title of best fighter. As was their relationship. They always seemed to feel the need to beat each other at everything, even being the perfect significant other.

They bickered all of the time, however, since they were so competitive, Lixella never saw it as negative. She figured that the fighting was just a dose of healthy competition. Then, Jonny snapped, and decided that he was going to beat Lixella for good. And he did exactly that, he tried to beat her up. Their duel turned into an actual fist fight, and Jonny went berserk on her. Lixella fought back as best as she could, but she was not a fist fighter.

After a good few minutes of trying to "prove his dominance", he stopped, and fell down crying. That was when Lixella realized how insane he was. After that incident, he was sent off to Sacred Cross Mental Home for a year. Lixella spent the rest of her days at Lunareth, running away from Jonny, terrified of how crazy he was.

"Madame Lixella?" called a small voice.

Lixella snapped out of her terrible flash back, pushing the images to the back of her mind.

"Oh! Hello Molly", she exclaimed, "it's so nice to see you again, where is everyone else?"

Molly was one of the house elves that worked for her family. She was a very petite house elf, with a small nose, and big ears.

"They've been waiting for you Madame Lixella" she said with a smile, "The house isn't as tidy as it should be because there have been a lot of strange men around lately."

"Well, don't worry, they're gone now." said Lixella.

She peered around the foyer, as if one of the detectives was still here, hiding.

"How's about you call everyone back in here, Molly" said Lixella, "We have a week before Aunt Marceline and Uncle Zander arrive. This house is hardly ready for their arrival."

"Of course, Madame Lixella" said molly, giving a small bow, "and what about supper?"

"Oh, that's a good idea!" said Lixella, "I'm not very sure as to what. Hmm...How about spaghetti? Tell Larz to make enough for everyone, I don't want you guys going hungry."

"Oh, thank you Madame Lixella! I'll go get everyone right now" said Molly, and she apparated away.

Lixella store back up at the family portrait, a painful hole formed in her stomach. Her mother had left her with so much to figure out, and so little to start off of. Perhaps she was testing Lixella. She was trying to see if her daughter had become the brilliant witch that Altria Duskwood had always hoped for.

"I promise to make you proud, Mom" said Lixella, nodding to her mother's painted face.

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><p>Less than a week later, and with very much punctuality, her Aunt Marceline had arrived. She came through the floo network. Upon arriving in the drawing room, she set her green luggage bag by the fireplace, and gave Lixella a hug.<p>

"Oh, darling, I haven't seen you since you were in single digits." said aunt Marceline.

"I know" said Lixella, hugging back, "It's been so long"

Aunt Marceline looked quite different from her sister Altria. Instead of having soft features, her face seemed as if it had been carved from stone. She had high cheek bones, and sharp angles. Her eyes were a bright blue, and a bit more slanted than her sister's. Her figure was more built than Altria's too. Her arms were lean and muscular, as were her legs. She had the same high waist as her sister, but she was shorter. Her hair was a shade between blonde and brown, like her father's. It was often pinned back, because it was full of naturally tight, thin curls.

"So" said aunt Marceline, "Now that you are of age, I can take you into the Duskwood family room. It's quite an obvious room, really. You probably pass by it everyday. I was taken in there with my mother when I became 17. Get ready for loads and loads of books."

After the house elves had taken her bags, and aunt Marceline was all settled in, they made their way to the highest room in the house. The entrance was a doorway that Lixella had always thought to just be a closet. They took a flight of stairs that Lixella had never been onto before. At the top of the narrow staircase, there was a round wooden door, with a willow tree carved onto it. Aunt Marceline turned to Lixella with a serious expression.

"Lixella Willow Cruxshade" she began, "Now that you have come of age, it is traditional that you learn everything about your heritage. Be warned, our family's past is one that is filled with dark rumors, as well as dark magic. Once you enter this room, you may use it whenever you like. Either for your education, or for a safe room. However, you cannot bring anyone else in here, unless they are your direct descendant. Do you understand?"

Lixella nodded and aunt Marceline withdrew a key from around her neck. It was a white key, with the Duskwood symbol carved at the top.

"This key now belongs to you, Lixella Willow Cruxshade. Use it only for your entry, until you are able to pass it onto your descendants. Keep it close."

She handed the key to Lixella, who walked up the last two stairs, and unlocked the door.

Aunt Marceline wasn't lying, the room was fulll of books. From ceiling to floor, there were shelve, packed with leather bound books. Pieces of folded parchment were stuck in-between a few of the books. Directly across from the doorway, was a workbench. On it sat a full row of different sized candles. Also, several magical devices, such as brass scales, and a brass cauldron. Behind the workbench sat a shelf of bottles, filled to the brim with things that Lixella had never heard of. Around the room there were cases full of strange objects. One of them held a silver necklace, with a plaque that said,

_Necklace of Eva _

_A gift from the woodlings to Aileen, _

_the Banshee Queen. _

There was also a rather curious lantern. It was called _The Lantern of Darkness_. According to the reading it had belonged to her great grandfather, Tiranus Duskwood. It was a simple black iron lantern, with glass doors, and a candle holder that was covered in wax.

Lixella stared at the lantern for a few seconds. Her aunt Marceline came strolling in behind her, looking around at the amazing room.

"There are so many books in here" said Marceline, walking up to one of the bookshelves.

"My friend Hermione would love it in here. She's such a bookworm. Too bad I can't ever bring her in this room." said Lixella, pulling a few untitled books off of the shelf. "None of these have titles, why is that?"

"They were all written by our family members. Most of them are journals. One of them, however, has been missing for centuries. It's extremely important to your mission…" said Marceline. Lixella stared at her in shock, she hadn't told aunt Marceline about her mission.

"Don't worry, I've known about your banshee connection since you were born. You're going to have to resurrect all of them. Do you think you can do it?" aske daunt Marceline.

"Yes, I think so" said Lixella, "I, um…I've met Cordellia Duskwood."

Aunt Marceline's jaw dropped.

"You met Cordellia Duskwood. The first daughter of our family. How?"

"She's apparently a banshee now. She's been helping me for the past year." said Lixella.

"My goodness, Lixella, I had no idea that you were so on top of this mission. That must have been such an experience. She was Aileen's best friend you know?"

"Yeah, she's told me everything" said Lixella.

She stared around the room at the great array of bookshelves.

"About that book you were mentioning" she said, "the one that's missing. What was it called?"

"It's called _The Book of Resurrection_. You see the banshees have mastered resurrection, and soul transfer. Humans, even magical ones, are completely incapable of achieving it. But you, Lixella, are partially a banshee. You share part of a soul with Aileen, that is why you can understand them. They taught the Duskwoods how to resurrect them. But, sadly, the book was stolen by a thief, years ago. No one has ever seen it since."

"Oh" said Lixella, "I have"

Aunt Marceline looked a bit taken back. She glared at Lixella with her mouth halfway open, and her eyes squinting in confusion.

"How?" she asked

"It was in the Ministry of Magic" said Lixella, "In a department that my cousin Arthus works at. I was able to get it, simply by showing them that it was rightfully mine."

This, of course, was a lie. Lixella had used quite a bit of force to get that book. She had threatened poor Barnabus, and practically taken it. However, she couldn't tell her aunt this.

"That is amazing Lixella" said aunt Marceline, "I cannot believe that you have it! Now you we truly get started on figuring this out."

It was good to know that aunt Marceline was prepared to help. She seemed very enthusiastic about the situation. Lixella promised herself that she would begin pouring through the books and journals that night, after reading a few chapter from _The Book of Ressurection._ She knew that there was very little time to solve everything.

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><p>Uncle Zander had arrived a day after her aunt Marceline. He had brought news about the death eaters, and what state the wizarding world was in. Voldemort was on the hunt for a wand. It was supposed to be the most powerful wand in the world. According to her uncle Zander, no wand that Voldemort used could kill Harry Potter. Also, apparently the search for Harry Potter was going terribly. They had failed at every attempt to kill him. They had even sent dementors out to muggle towns to search for him. It was suspected that he'd tried to infiltrate the ministry a few days ago, because of a break out from The Muggle-Born Registartion hearings.<p>

It had not occurred to Lixella just how hard Harry had it. He was having to run from everything. It probably felt as if the whole world was against him. She wished that she could help him, but she was stuck in Voldemort's tight grip. All that she could do now was resurrect the banshees and return to England.

She lay in her bed that night, reading a chapter from _The Book of Resurrection_, and thinking of England. Hogwarts must've become a terrible school, since the death eaters took it over. Lixella could only hope that her friends there were making it through the year. She worried about Luna, Neville, and Jynx the most. The four of them had become so close last year. It was hard to imagine them going to a school ruled by the death eaters. And what was going on with Draco?

From what Lixella's uncle had told her, Voldemort was using him a lot more often. It was mostly for interrogations. The thought of Draco having to use the cruciatus curse on someone sent chills up Lixella's spine. She was well aware that he had a bit of a taste for the dark arts. It was no lie that Lixella did too. After all, it was something that was engraved into her family history. But, that didn't mean that she particularly enjoyed causing others pain. To her, there were light and dark sides to everything, even magic. As long as you keep an equal balance between the two, she did not see a problem. Torture, though, was not something that she was fond of. Considering that she had experienced the effects of the cruciatus curse, from not only Voldemort but also Bellatrix, she could easily say that it was not something she preferred to use. Thinking of anyone else that she loved using it, made her sick. However, she did not know if Draco did these things willingly, or if he was just terrified of Voldemort.

She flipped through her book, scrolling along the pages. It took her a few seconds to decipher anything because she had to translate from banshee. She closed the book, and stared for a bit at the silver willow tree on the front cover. Unlike her family symbol, this tree was not engulfed in flames. Instead, it was contained in a circle, that was engraved with banshee lettering. Lixella read the insignia:

_The estate is the map, the book is the key, the dead keep the answers. _

"The dead keep the answers?" Lixella read in confusion, "But, if they're dead, then how can I get answers form them? I can't talk to the dead if I don't know how to resurrect them first. And I can't resurrect them until I figure out the answers, which they have. That seems dreadfully unhelpful. I really do hate riddles."

She placed the book beside her pillow. This was just another secret that no one would tell her. Lixella disliked cryptic messages. She preferred for everyone to just be straight forward. Certainly though, this was not the only riddle that she would have to unravel. There was a long road of deciphering ahead of her, and deciphering codes was one of Lixella's weaknesses.

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><p>Thank you for reading chapter 3! I'll be updating in a few more days, after i've had time to better map out this story!<p>

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: I SO FREAKING WILL! onward, into the future!

DizzyPotter: I like aunt Iris' character too, even if she is a bit of a snob. Sketchy thumping is sketchy...honestly, if I were Lita, I would've thought the same thing XD

anyways, please read and review, I do very much love to hear from everyone ^_^

Also, I was wondering about the chapter length. is it too long, too short, just right? please do tell me, because I feel like this chapter was a bit long.

See you all soon!


	4. Parchment 4: A Map in Silver Ink

Welcome to chapter 4, now with 30% more Nym Muse!

I would like to thank madi 1999, keeluvsfangandslytherin for the favorites

Also, thansk to xXMiz Alec VolturiXx, DizzyPotter, RaineAmorial, and altissimoragnerocks for their wonderful reviews ^_^

I hope you enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 4: A map in Silver Ink

The sun in England hadn't shown it's magnificent golden rays in quite some time. It's regal glory had not been seen in nearly a year. It seemed that the weather here was in a constant state of gloom. Nobody understood this weather better than the witches and wizards, who lived there. The muggles had all blamed the weather on pockets of cold and hot fronts that originated in the ocean. For magical families, they knew that this was a sign, an omen that something dreadful was beginning. However, across the Atlantic, in the city of Savannah, Georgia, USA, a girl lay in her room, admiring the sunrise.

Nym Muse lay on her carpet, staring up at her sky lights, watching the morning sky change colors. To her, this was the most magnificent part of the day. The point in time where light took the world back from it's long hours in darkness. She lay on her floor, breathing in the smell of air freshener, and musty carpet. It was no comparison to what outside must have smelled like. She could not get outside, though, for she was trapped in her home with her protective parents. There was nothing more that she wanted at that moment, than to fly.

Her mother thought that flying was extremely dangerous, for she was a muggle. Her father, however, relished the idea of riding a broomstick through the clouds. He couldn't, though, simply because he was a squib. Watching his daughter do magic made him proud to be a father. Nym loved her parents, though they were over bearing at times.

The both of them could, at least, agree on one thing, that the world was unsafe. They did not trust their daughter outside solely because there were bad people out there. Especially now, what with all of the news that the Ministry of Magic had been releasing pamphlets on the dangers of muggle-borns.

Her father could only deduct that "You-Know-Who", had returned to power, but was being secretive. This news, at first, completely confused her mother, who never involved herself much in the wizarding world. Her father, however, was very involved.

Nym's father, Carrington Muse, was a squib. He had been born as the only non-magical child of his family. He was raised to live as a muggle, and later met her mother Maya Smith.

Knowing that he had a magical daughter, Nym, scared the life out of him. Being the daughter of two muggles was one thing. However, being the daughter of a muggle and a squib, was a completely different level of bad. Carringon was deathly afraid of someone coming to take his daughter away. She was the pride and joy of his life. Therefore, he kept her inside. He had taken her out of school, and away from the world, to keep her safe.

Nym hated having to stay indoors all of the time. She preferred the outside world, where people walked their dogs, and children played on playgrounds. It had been quite sometime since she'd left her house, without her parents. This was mostly due to the fact that her friend, Lixella, had moved away to England. Usually she would be spending her time at Lunareth, talking to everyone in the Mothwing dorm. Now, she spent most of her time with her family.

"Stupid girl" said Nym, as she got up to change, "she just had to leave me here, alone."

Nym had always been angry that her best friend had to move away. The two of them rarely ever talked anymore. She could only wonder what Lixella had been up to for the past school year. Surely she wasn't so busy that she couldn't write? Or, maybe she was mad at Nym's last letter.

It had contained her inner feelings for Mickey Mageling. In their first year at Lunareth, she and Lixella had made it their job to ruin Mickey's life as much as possible. But, once Lixella left, Mickey admitted to missing her too, and they had become close.

Nym made her way over to her white wicker bed, searching frantically for a shirt. She unearthed one out from under her bed, and put it on. Her room was always a wreck. Clothes, wrappers, and spell books littered the floor. Somewhere among the mess, stood a mirror, which, at that moment, reflected Nym fighting with her hair.

Her hair was cut in a choppy pixie style. It was fiery red, with random strands of purple. As opposed to popular belief, the purple was, in fact, genetic. She got it from her father, who's family had lines that connected to that of emberlings. However, the blood line had stretched so far that Nym possessed none of the emberlings' wonderful fire powers.

Her skin was a bit darker than most Caucasians, almost a burnt peach color. Her figure was tall and skinny, she despised her flat stomach. She was convinced that if she turned sideways, no one would see her. Her legs were long, with small feet. Her arms were muscular, but not built, the muscles were more compact. Long skinny fingers grasped onto her hair brush, trying to drag it through her bed head. The sharp angles on her face, gave her a striking appearance. A pair of large, hazel eyes, were twisted into a frustrated expression.

Her hair was always a wreck when she woke up, she would often break her combs, trying to untangle it. She had gone through 4 combs in the past year alone. At Lunareth she would often ask to use Lixella's, but would only receive a shocked look, followed by a very forceful, "No!". Nym wondered what Lixella was up to, hoping that maybe soon, she would be able to see her friend again.

Suddenly, a tapping sound came from her window. Nym unhooked the latch, and lifted the window open. Outside sat a lovely barn owl, and tied around her neck was a letter. She recognized the owl as Illunia. Her heart skipped a beat, she knew that Lixella had just sent her a letter. Nym pulled the letter off of Illunia and patted her head. She then ripped the side off, and yanked out a piece of folded parchment.

_Dear Nym, _

_Hopefully this letter makes it to you. I am not sure if they are checking mail in America, the way they are checking it in Europe. I am sorry that it has taken so long to respond to your last letter. This past year has been a dizzying ride for me. I miss you desperately, and I really wish that you were here. I could seriously use your help right now. I've been pulled into a mystery that I have to solve. I am back in America, and I need your help. _

_Everything will be explained one you get here. _

_I failed to mention that I am kidnapping you. I figure that your parent's will have been over protective and kept you at home, locked in your room. As they do every summer. But, this time, you are coming with me!_

_I will be by in 3 days to pick you up, on Sunday. However, I will need to know that you are okay with this. Please reply with your answer. If it is a yes then I'll send someone to come get you. When they arrive, don't question it, just go with them. _

_I cannot wait to see you._

_Glad I could let you know. And I hope you are doing well._

_Sincerely,_

_Willow_

_P.S. I'm sure you won't, but please do not mention any of this to your parents. _

Nym grabbed a nearby pen and scribbled a large "yes" onto a piece of parchment. Then, she tied it around Illunia's neck, and sent the owl off.

She was finally going to get out of this house. Being trapped there had been suffocating her. She was about to go on an adventure with her best friend. Images whizzed through her mind, of her and Lixella fighting off terrible monsters, and solving puzzles. Sunday was going to be a good day for her. She dashed to her closet and rummaged around for her trunk. If she was going to leave, she wanted to be ready for it.

* * *

><p>Lixella sat in the family room. Piles of papers and open books riddled the floor. It had been 6 days since aunt Marceline had given her the key. Her uncle was leaving tomorrow, and she wouldn't receive another person checking-in until the end of October. She stared at a picture of Cordellia that she had found in a diary. Nothing was making sense to her. So far she had studied several journals, which all told her nothing regarding the resurrection.<p>

Each book contained some sort of discovery that a family member had made. The only slight bit of useful information that she had found was about the white willow tree in the back of the house. It described how the tree was used to purify souls that the banshees would harvest from dying humans. Lixella, however, had already known this. She leaned back in her chair, and sighed heavily at the mess in the room. The floor was so messy that she couldn't see the carpet. She had tacked pieces of paper to the wall, and begun connecting them with string. She had even begun ripping apart journals. Each ripped page was hung on the wall, in a cluster of other ones that matched in subject.

Lixella wondered if it was okay for her to be ripping apart all of these books. They were, after all, her family's entire history. On the other hand, in a way, they were all written for her.

"There's a letter here for you, Lixella" said her aunt Marceline as she entered the small doorway.

Lixella took the letter from her, and ripped it open. On the parchment was scribbled a large "yes" underlined in red ink. Lixella chuckled, she had expected for Nym to be bored, but not at this level. She would have to call on Lita soon, in order to go over her kidnapping plans.

"Found anything interesting?" asked aunt Marceline. She was studying the ripped journal entries on the wall. She nearly laughed at how messy the place was.

"I've figured out that the tree purifies souls; the estate is the map; the book is the key; and somehow the dead are going to talk to me." said Lixella, slightly overwhelmed.

"so, not much then, huh?" aunt Marceline began staring at the lantern, "so the estate is the map; the book the key; and the dead can talk."

"they hold all the answers" responded Lixella

"Lovely…I get my answers from dead bodies all of the time."

"Precisely" said Lixella, studying another journal.

Aunt Marceline began peering at a cluster of journal entries about the estate. They all mentioned the same room, the drawing room. Each described a certain picture, that had once been located in there. It was apparently a large map of the estate.

"I've never seen a map of the estate, especially not in the drawing room." she mumbled.

"Me neither" said Lixella, "That is why it was so curious."

"Plus you'll be needing a map" said aunt Marceline, "since it says that the estate is the map. But, there have never been any paintings hanging in the drawing room."

They both stared towards the floor, trying to figure it out. Lixella walked over, and began reading the journal entries.

"Perhaps it isn't hanging." said Lixella in shock, "It says nothing here about the map being 'hung' in the drawing room, just that it's there."

"But, how can there be a map in there at all?" asked aunt Marceline, "I mean, my grandmother used to say that we couldn't hang anything because of the wall paper. She said that nailing anything to the wall would mess up the wall paper in there."

"Wall paper!" shouted Lixella, "Aunt Marceline that's it!"

"What?" aunt Marceline asked, confused and slightly scared.

"The room is full of wall paper. But, it couldn't have always been full of wall paper, right?" Lixella began running down the stairs, "it has to be under it then."

Aunt Marceline's eyes grew wide with shock, she began chasing after Lixella. They both darted down the stairs, across the foyer, and into the drawing room. Uncle Zander was standing by the fireplace, admiring a picture of his brother. He was startled when Lixella and aunt Marceline burst through the doors, and began circling the room.

"I suppose you've found something then?" he asked in confusion.

"Yes" said Lixella as she studied every single wall.

"what is it?" asked uncle Zander

"A map" said aunt Marceline, "in this room"

"there isn't any map in here" said uncle Zander, he took a few looks around, making sure that he was correct.

"Which wall do you suppose it is, Lixella?" asked aunt Marceline.

Lixella was huddled on one of the couches, bent over, and studying the wall paper seams.

"There would be a clue" she said, "something to let us know that it was _that_ wall."

"Well, it can't be either of the ones on the end, they're full of book shelves." said uncle Zander, he turned around, "This wall is interrupted by the fireplace, and is covered in couches and chairs. Has the furniture ever been moved?"

"No" said aunt Marceline, "we were never allowed to move it. Were you Lixella?"

Lixella shook her head.

"Then, It has to be this one" said aunt Marceline as she stared at the wall with the door.

They all began staring at that wall. Lixella walked over to the doorway, and ran her hand along the edges of the door frame. There weren't any signs of peeling wall paper. She bent over to check the floor. Then, she noticed it, on the bottom right hand corner, there was an engraving. "S.C.D".

Lixella smiled, "Sella Cristolie Duskwood", she said. She grabbed onto the engraving, and began peeling it off. Surely enough, the wall paper removed easily. In fact, she peeled off almost a third of the wall. Her aunt gasped, for peering out from beneath the paper, was a mass of black ink. The three of them began ripping the wall paper off. Bit by bit, the map came into view. Once they were done they stood back. On the wall was a massive map of the Duskwood estate, drawn in black ink. However, there also appeared to be strange silver lines on it. At random points on the map, there were small, thin, disconnected silver lines. There were even small symbols scribbled in silver, but they were illegible. They made no actual letter, in English or in Banshee.

"What is that?" asked her uncle Zander. He walked up to one of the silver squiggles, and lightly touched it. "It looks familiar" he said, wiping the residue off onto his coat.

"We should take a sample" said aunt Marceline, "It may be very important. I think I know someone who could identify it."

"Who?" asked Lixella

"My husband" she said, "He has a printing business. Perhaps he can identify this ink for us."

Uncle Zander went to fetch a vial from his case. He came back several minutes later, and scraped a few bits of the silvery residue from the wall. He handed it to aunt Marceline who then placed it into a safe pocket in her purse.

"Why are they there?" asked Lixella

"It could be a trail" said aunt Marceline, "perhaps a map on top of another map."

"But, the symbols don't match up at all." said uncle Zander, "See this one here". He pointed to what appeared to be a broken up circle, with small random converging lines scattered inside of it.

"It seems to want to be a picture, a circle, However, it isn't connected at all" he said.

"Yeah" said Lixella, "and which way is north? I can't tell which direction the manor is facing. So which way is front, and which is the back?"

"There isn't a map key" said her aunt Marceline, staring at the circle like object. Then, suddenly it hit her, "a key! It has no key."

Lixella and uncle Zander stared at her in confusion.

"Don't you see, Lixella!" she said jubilantly, "the book is the key. It didn't mean a door key, it meant a map key!"

Lixella hugged her aunt. She rushed upstairs and grabbed _The Book of Ressurection_ from the desk in the family room. Once she re-entered the drawing room, her aunt took the book, and held it up in the air. Uncle Zander and Lixella stood behind her. They all stood staring from the book, to the wall. Nothing came to them.

"Is there anything in the book, any weird symbols?" asked uncle Zander

"No" said Lixella, "It's all written in banshee. See, even the insignia on the front is written in banshee."

Lixella took the book, and flipped through it a couple of times. She truned it around in her hands, but nothing came to her. Finally, she held it straight, staring at the silver willow tree.

"Strange" said her aunt Marceline, "That willow tree isn't on fire."

"is it supposed to be?" asked her uncle Zander looking puzzled

"Yes" said Lixella, "it's usually engulfed in flames."

"It also doesn't _ever_ appear with banshee symbols around it" said aunt Marceline.

Then, Lixella noticed it, she smacked her forehead. Her aunt and uncle stared at her in shock. She tried to form a sentence, but Lixella was terrible at explaining things. So, she figured that she would just show them instead. She ripped the silver willow tree off of the front of the book. Then, she walked over to the wall, and placed the iron figure up against the broken circle.

The silver circled willow fit into the silver broken circle perfectly.

"You see" said Lixella, pointing to the figure, "The banshee symbols. They look like English letters."

She pointed to a banshee symbol that sat at the top of the circle. Just as she said, a symbol sat there that looked like an ornate "N". There was also an "S", an "E, and what looked like a strange "W".

"Brilliant" mumbled uncle Zander, "to think that the Duskwoods have planned all of this out so well. And for the length of time that this house has been here…my my, what secrets this place must hold."

He stared around the room, admiring the detailing in every small thing. It amazed him, that the Duskwoods had spent their entire existence, planting clues in this one house. Truly, this family was full of geniuses. Not to mention the amount of care that they had put into keeping this a secret. Only a Duskwood could read Banshee language, so therefore, only a Duskwood could've solved all of this. It was at that moment that he knew, for sure, his niece Lixella was born to solve this mystery.

* * *

><p>A few days later, in a small house in Savannah, Georgia, a girl was waiting by her window, staring out at the night sky. Nym looked over at her digital clock, it read 11: 05 P.M. She had been waiting all day for the arrival of her kidnapper. It seemed strange, waiting for a kidnapper. But, this kidnapper was going to be taking her far away from her protective family, and off towards a wondrous adventure in the woods of Sleepy Hollow.<p>

Her parents had no idea that she would be leaving tonight. She had decided to write them a short note, explaining that she was okay and would return soon.

Every few minutes she would get up, walk downstairs, and peer out of the door for something out of the ordinary. But nothing was there, all she saw was a wide street, bathed in yellow street lights.

"Where is she?" asked Nym. She pressed her forehead against the window surface, and stared out at the lovely night sky. Her breath made fog on the window as she exhaled. In this fog was a light residue in the shape of a smiley face. She began nodding off to sleep, staring at the dark asphalt. Just as her eyes began closing, a small pop sounded, only inches away from her.

Nym shot up, the noise had come from inside of her closet. She rushed over to it, and swung the doors open. A small house elf sat in the middle of her dirty laundry basket, covered in socks.

"Are you Nym Muse?" asked the house elf in a high pitched voice.

Nym nodded her head, "Oh boy! Are you my kidnapper?" she asked with excitement.

"My name is Lita" said the house elf, removing a sock from atop her head. "Miss Lixella has sent me here to fetch you, and take you to the Duskwood estate. I believe this is your closet." Lita pulled a picture out of her smock. It was a picture that Lixella had taken of Nym's new closet, after her family had moved in 3 years ago.

"Yes, it is…..Oh, wonderful, I'll get my stuff! Wait, how are we getting there?" she asked

"Oh, Ziz should be here in a moment with the car." said Lita. She got up and walked over to the window. Lita lifted herself onto a chair and stared out of it.

Suddenly, a black car appeared out of nowhere, and made it's way towards the house. Nym grabbed her luggage, and unzipped it, she wanted to look over everything one last time.

Lita escorted her out of the house, and into the black car. An older gentleman, who looked to be in his mid 40s smiled at her from the rear view mirror. He then put the car into drive, and they slowly drove away from Nym's house. She watched as her home disappeared into the distance. She hoped that her parents did not go looking for her. She couldn't have told them where she was going, they never would have let her leave.

Her parents did not understand her vast thirst for adventure. The daily mundane life that they were both used to was not what Nym wanted. She wanted to roam across the world, searching for magical beasts, and fighting off dragons. After all, she was a witch, to her that meant that she should spend her life fighting off danger with her magic.

It had occurred to her at a very young age that she was meant to be out in the world, writing stories of amazing journeys she had been on. Surely, this adventure with Lixella, would be the first one she wrote about.

Ziz, the driver, suddenly pulled a small lever, that Nym thought was the cigarette lighter. The car then jolted forward with intense speed. They were headed towards a dark patch of woods. Ziz then sped the car off of the road, heading towards a large dark wall. Nym screamed as the car's front met the shadowed wall. But, once she fell silent, she noticed that the car was still intact. Not only that, it also seemed that they had entered onto a road behind a diner.

"Where are we?" asked Nym, staring out of the window, "and how did we get here?"

"This car belonged to Master Cruxshade" said Lita, "It is his own invention. From what Miss Lixella told me, he was a master at magical invention. Apparently his grandfather invented a set of vanishing cabinets. The Cruxshades were always good at making things."

"That's really nice and all…but we just jumped through a wall, and out another one" said Nym.

"We jumped through one wall, and came out of a similar one. It's kind of like apparating, only by car." said Lita.

Nym looked out of every single window, turning her head from left to right. She was still confused as to how the traveling worked, but did not think to question it, magic was magic after all. They drove for quite a while, going from a busy city, to the backwoods where there weren't' any street lights. Then, a few dots of light appeared in the distance, and Nym knew exactly where she was.

She marveled as the car drove through the black iron gates. The Duskwood manor was gleaming with lights. It stood tall, made in a Victorian style, and painted purple. At the front door, stood her best friend Lixella. Nym got out of the car, and ran over to Lixella, who embraced her in a tight hug.

"Dear god I missed you!" said Nym.

"Me too" said Lixella, "come on, I have so much to tell you about!"

Lixella escorted her friend inside. She explained all that had been happening over the past year, about the death eaters, Voldemort, the banshees, and even about Draco. She felt a lot more comfortable now, knowing that her best friend was there to help her. Everything was coming together, finally, Lixella felt as if she could complete her mission.

* * *

><p>And that is chapter 4 :D yaaaay, we're getting closer to solving the Duskwood mystery!<p>

Thank you for reading, and leave me a comment if you can, I love hearing form everyone ^_^

altissimoragerocks: Don't worry, he will return for a few chapters in America! Just hang tight, cuz it'll be really good!

DizzyPotter: yay, aunt Marceline fan! for those of you who don't know, aunt Marceline is named after Marceline the vampire queen from Adventure Time :D also, Marceline, Missouri, where Walt Disney grew up!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: TO INFINITY AND BEYOND!

Raine Amorial: Nice try, pretty close, but no... that's a twist that i can't tell you. Spoilers dear, spoilers!

thank you everyone, see you in Parchment 5 :D


	5. Parchment 5: In the Family

Parchment 5 has arrived! Thank you for reading, and i hope you enjoy ^_^

Thank you to riarina for the favorite

and also to DizzyPotter and Raine Amorial for their reviews

Also, thank you to all of my readers...you guys make this all worth while!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 5: In the Family

Nym sat in the large drawing room, she had been reading a journal for the past hour now. Every now and then she would peer up at Lixella, who was perched on a chair, crouching on her knees, staring at the map on the wall. It was a bit disturbing, having Lixella be so silent. Nym was used to the adventurous, spirited, snarky Lixella. She had never once, in all of their years as friends, encountered this side of her. It was as if England had changed her, as if it had taken the Lixella she knew, and removed her.

Nym thought back to the night she had arrived. Lixella had told her wondrous and terrible stories of her time in England. Stories about vanishing cabinets, banshees, and her father. Also, stories about meeting Harry Potter, going to Hogwarts, and falling in love with a boy named Draco. Nym did not trust Lixella's judgment with boys. At least, not after Jonny Damian. Nym would never forgive him for what he did to her friend. After that terrible relationship, Lixella spent a good two months blaming herself for his breakdown. Nym had never seen her quite so broken, as she was on the day that Jonny returned to school in their 5th year.

On top of all of this news was a layer of secrecy. Lixella wasn't telling Nym everything, and Nym didn't know why. She just kept saying that it was for Nym's own safety. That if Lixella got her too involved, Nym could get hurt. The two of them were best friends after all, it was strange to not be able to know everything. Lixella had forbidden her from asking many questions. She couldn't ask about the reason behind their "mission", nor could she ask who else was helping. Nym figured that she would try to get as much information as possible. First of all, she wanted to know about this boy Draco Malfoy.

"So…" said Nym, with a bit of reserve, "about that boy…Draco, was it?"

Lixella simply nodded, still staring at the map, as if it would reveal everything the moment she removed her gaze.

"What's he like?" asked Nym, flipping a page, trying to seem casual.

"He's umm…" Lixella paused, choosing her words carefully. "He's…a bit, erm…"

"Speechless?" asked Nym, "is he so great that you can't find the words?" she said with sarcasm. Lixella laughed, it was quite the opposite, she knew that Nym wouldn't approve of Draco's personality. He was so much like Jonny, without the insanity.

"He's not Jonny" said Lixella

"I would hope not" replied Nym, "But really, tell me about him…is he nice?" she inquired.

"Erm…" Lixella found it hard to compliment him, she couldn't from a direct sentence explaining Draco as an ideal boyfriend. "He's…nice-ish…to particular people. Maybe not…to everyone." she said, trying to avoid Nym's glare. Lixella attempted to put some kind of good string of words in her head. She tried to think of something, anything that she could say to make Nym not associate him with Jonny. "He's…brittish" she said.

"brittish…" Nym looked at her in confusion.

Lixella simply buried her face into the nearest pillow, and sighed.

"Look, he's not Jonny" she said, "I mean, he's snarky, and rude, and he can be a bit of dick to nearly everyone who doesn't meet his ideals." she glanced to Nym, who was turning red. "and he's got a bit of an…no, it's really _quite_ a _massive_ ego, about himself. I mean, let's face it, he's a god damn prick!" Nym was almost the color of a tomato. "But, the thing is…he's also, I dunno, a vent!"

"a vent?" asked Nym through gritted teeth, "Lixella, this guy doesn't sound like a good guy."

"He's not" said Lixella, "but that's what I like about him. He's not the typical, be a good person because you're told to. It's just that…well, we fight, and yell, and bicker. But, he's not Jonny, Nym. He doesn't fight with me because he's insane…we just both need someone to argue with."

"Lixella" Nym said, her arms crossed, she stared at Lixella with complete seriousness in her voice. "Lixella, you know what happened the last time you fell for a guy you could fight with. I'm not spending two months in your room, watching you break down every time you think of him. Tell me, right now, something…anything…that would convince me that this boy is good for you? Just one thing…and I'll drop it, I swear."

How could Lixella explain everything that she adored about Draco, without giving away her being a death eater. She could never tell Nym about what happened last winter, how she'd been branded. Nym would never understand. But, without being able to tell Nym about that winter, it was impossible to explain the good parts about Draco.

"Look, Nym" Lixella started with sincerity, "last winter was…just hell for me, I can't explain why. Last year in general, was just terrible. But, I mean, through everything that happened…especially the big things, he was there. He was there when I needed to get angry, when I had to cry, and through it all, he had this general understanding of what I was going through. Maybe, one day, I can tell you everything…but for right now, please just know that he is _nothing _like Jonny. I love him."

Nym studied her for a second. Her comment seemed sincere and full of something deep.

"Okay" said Nym, "I'll accept that answer. You never did say you actually _loved _Jonny. So I can accept it as sincere, at least."

"thanks" said Lixella hesitantly, "speaking of Jonny…did he go back this year?"

"No" said Nym, "you didn't hear?"

"obviously not, Nym. I've been across the Atlantic for a year."

"Lixella he's" she paused, gulping down saliva, "he…went missing, this past summer. No one has seen him in over 4 months. His parents won't even talk about where he is, or what he's doing. He just…disappeared."Lixella stared off into the distance. He disappeared…how did he just disappear? To think that her insane ex-boyfriend was lost somewhere, terrified her. She almost felt bad for him. So many people seemed to have gone lost this year, Jonny, Arthus, and even her father. Her father…he was alive, and looking for her. Lixella closed her eyes, trying to think of something else.

She turned her attention back to the large map. It had been a week since they'd uncovered it. In that time, her aunt and uncle had left her. It would be two more weeks before her next check-in popped up. She had that long to find something, to make some kind of progress. If only she could read the silvery parts, they must be some great hidden help to her.

"Where are these banshees buried?" asked Nym suddenly, "I'm not seeing any reference to a gravesite in _any_ of these texts. And what about resurrection…how can you do that? Does it give you directions?"

"I guess those are things we'll just have to figure out" said Lixella, "if there's one tihng my family was good at, it was making a puzzle."

"Have you read these, Lixella?" asked Nym, "I mean…there's some pretty dark stuff in here. Most of it was discovered by your family."

"Oh, yeah, like what?" asked Lixella.

Nym walked over to her and placed the large brown journal on the floor. She then removed a picture of two men, standing in front of what appeared to be an old church.

"These are your great great uncles, Charles, and Oliver…you see that church in the background?"

Lixella nodded.

"Well, that church was apparently their headquarters for 'sacrificial business." said Nym, "They used it to figure out soul transferring, like the banshees. However, it says here that they started using soul transfer, by taking the souls of the dying, but something happened. Apparently they had no way of purifying the soul once it was out. Therefore, the pains and sufferings of the soul's keeper were still in it. So, when they would go to use it, it would turn into a painful plague, which slowly killed them."

"Well, that must be why they eventually learned of the willow tree!" said Lixella

"Lixella" said Nym, "don't you realize how dangerous this is? I mean, half of your family has died, studying resurrection. Look here, this is one of your great grandmother's. She was supposed to be the woman that bore the reincarnation of Aileen. At least, that's what your family thought. But, when she got pregnant, she did not stop studying resurrection. She wanted to be prepared to teach her daughter. Then, one day, when she was trying out soul removal, something went terribly wrong and her daughter came out as a still born. That mom took her own child's life, without even realizing it. The girl's name was Willow…that's your middle name."

"Okay, so they made some mistakes" said Lixella, staring at the picture of one of her great grandmothers.

"Some?" asked Nym hurriedly, "Lixella they were more than some. That lady went crazy because of her daughter. Apparently Willow's spirit would come back and visit her."

"Nym, we see ghosts all of the time in the wizarding world" said Lixella, trying to make her stop.

"Yeah, but those are ghosts of people who lived. Willow never lived, Lixella, she returned to her mom, as a disembodied voice."

"Okay…okay…I get it, this stuff is bad" said Lixella, a jolt of terror running through her. "But, I have to do this Nym. The banshees are counting on me. Plus, if I don't, then everything that my family members have died for, will have been for nothing."

Lixella was growing impatient with her. Nym did not understand the necessity for dark magic in her family. They needed to have it, to learn to control it. It was part of the reason why they were so well known.

"Not to mention that your family invented a good chunk of the kinds of dark magic that's used today. Apparently one of your distant relatives discovered the cruciatus curse, his name wa.."

"THAT'S ENOUGH, SHUT UP!" shouted Lixella. Nym stared at her in shock, then closed the journal. "I don't want to discuss this anymore, okay?" said Lixella.

"Sorry" said Nym in a small voice, "it's just, interesting, ya know…that your family did all of this."

"whatever" said Lixella, trying to avoid any further conversation.

"What about your dad's side? What are the Cruxshade's known for?" Nym asked.

"They're just inventors" said Lixella, "They got all of their money from making things, and also from investing in other inventors. My great grandfather used to own a group called the, "Magical Inventors Guild". He would buy peoples ideas and sell them in shops that he owned. He bought _a lot_ of stores, and put them up for lease. That's why my uncle owns part of Bourgin and Burke's, but his name isn't on the sign. Basically he owns the building and some of the items that they have."

"Gosh" said Nym, staring at the ceiling, "so your dad must've been like a genius!"

"Not really" said Lixella, "I mean he was with certain things, like mechanics. But, my dad won a good chunk of money from dueling. The other part of the Cruxshade fortune comes from dueling, they would win things off of people. Since they were inventors, they always had a trick up their sleeve. So, it was only natural that they would win. Then, once they had the money, they could buy the land, and once they had the land, they had more social status, which brought a good bit of power. My great grandfather always had this strange obsession with power. I never understood it. Anyways, that's how the Cruxshade manor got built. I mean, that was a very long time ago, but that's how it happened."

She looked over to Nym, who was holding a very large piece of paper in her hands. It was an official copy of the Duskwood family tree. She was studying it thoroughly, trying to find Charles and Oliver Duskwood.

"Wow…" she said, "Lixella, have you ever _really_ looked at your family tree?"

"I've looked over it, but not studied it" said Lixella.

"Look" said Nym, pointing to a symbol next to each name, "that star signifies a magical person, in your family."

"Yeah…so?" asked Lixella

"So…look at the amount of stars." Nym said in disbelief, "I mean, has there _ever_ been a muggle married in, or hasn't _anyone_ had a squib?"

"Oh I'm sure of it" said Lixella, "I bet they just removed them from the family tree. You know how crazy they all are."

"Yeah" said Nym, "I guess so."

She placed the parchment down onto the floor, and picked up the large journal.

Lixella wasn't paying attention any more, she had begun skimming over how to transfer souls. Apparently, it took four perfectly done steps.

The first was to remove the soul from the dead body. This had terrible consequences if done incorrectly. A person could end up putting their own soul into the dead body, or swapping souls. It was required that if one wanted to remove a soul, they had to first acquire and consume the soul of a banshee. That way, they would be partially a banshee, and could remove a soul without consequence. She knew that she could skip this step, because she was already part banshee.

Next, they had to find a vessel for the soul, so it could be transferred to be purified. Apparently there were two magical objects that could carry around a soul, one was a banshee, the other was the _lantern of darkness_, which sat in the family room. Lixella smiled, she was happy to know that she wouldn't have to go on a quest to find a lantern. So that was two steps already perfected.

Then, there was soul purification, which was the most dangerous. In order to be able to use the willow tree as a purifying source, the witch or wizard had to make a connection to it. The banshees were connected with the willow because they had created it, and put a part of themselves into it, in order to create more banshees. However, a witch or wizard could not put a part of _their_ pure soul into this willow tree, it simply wasn't achievable. The ability to purify a soul, therefore, was not studied in detail. No one in her family had been able to achieve it. They could not make a strong connection with the spirit of the willow tree. Lixella knew that this was going to be her biggest challenge, and the most dangerous.

Then, lastly, there was soul resurrection. This was achieved with the banshees by keeping the soul housed within them for an extended period, much like a human pregnancy. However, for witches and wizards, the only way to use a purified soul, was on a dead body. This would be simple for Lixella, once she found the banshee burial grounds of course.

"Hey" said Nym, "I think I've found someone who might know where the banshees are buried."

Lixella scooted over to her, she was reading a journal that seemed very familiar.

"Apparently the banshees and the dark woodlings of the forest were really close. This was, of course, because Aileen saved them from the basilisk. Well, as it appears, they made a pact that if anything happened to the other, they would keep their burial sights a secret. That way, they could keep away any dark magic entering the burial grounds again."

"I guess we'll have to talk to the dark woodlings then." said Lixella

"What _is_ a dark woodling?" asked Nym

"Well, they're basically the spirits and keepers of this forest. They only come out at night, because that's when the forest needs protecting. Apparently the only thing they're scared of is a basilisk, but Aileen killed it off for them years ago. Something in it's corpse apparently infected the forest with negative energy, which then turned into a dark plague. That plague spread to the banshees, who couldn't handle it, and then my family killed them, to set them free. Which is why I'm in this whole mess."

"So, do you know where they are?"

"No idea" said Lixella, she began stacking up journals according to year. "No one ever taught me anything about them. The first I heard of them was from a text book….or was it _The Quibbler_, darn I can't remember. Either way, my family members never told me."

"It's odd isn't is? Thinking that your family has spent it's entire existence creating this vast puzzle for you to solve." said Nym

"Well, the thing is, I am the only one that can solve it. They made it into a puzzle, because they didn't want anyone else finding this stuff out. It was always meant for me to solve." Lixella said throwing another journal to the stack of 1930-1940.

"Either way" said Nym excitedly, "it's really quite an adventure they have planned out for you, don't you think?"

"yeah" said Lixella, "It really seems like one doesn't it."

Lixella stared at the large map on the wall. It was bordered by the lovely wall paper, that had been so loosely placed there, waiting to be ripped. That wall paper, like Lixella, had a set existence. It was meant for only one reason, to be stripped down, and reveal something else. Lixella was only alive, because she had to resurrect the banshees. No one else could do it but her. If she failed, then her family would have broken their promise. It was all up to Lixella now. She could only hope that, with the help of her friends and family, this whole things would be achievable.

But, then there was the question of Voldemort. Lixella still had to figure out how to wriggle out of his grasp. She was scared to. Not only because he was Voldemort, but because he had access to so many people that she cared about. Then there was her father, who she was trying to keep alive in her mind. Her gaze moved to the back wall of the room. On the other side of it sat the backyard, which held the gravesite of her parents. But, one of those coffins was empty. Her father was still walking the earth, searching for his daughter, trying to save her from the terrors of the world.

* * *

><p>On the other side of the Atlantic, in a small office corner, a man was quietly sifting through files. He was a tall man, rather fit for his age, with styled black hair, and a square face. He had snuck into the office under the cover of a polyjuice potion disguise. Currently he was sifting through a long cabinet drawer. He was in The Department of Personal Records, trying to find a specific person.<p>

His fingers ran along the tops of the folders, occasionally pulling them out to check. Then, he spotted it, the folder with the name "Lixella Willow Cruxshade". He unsheathed it from the drawer, and opened it onto a nearby desk. He began reading about the past year. Lixella had been transferred into Hogwarts and sorted into Slytherin. The man gave a slight chuckle upon reading this. Her relatives had their house on watch for the entirety of December. It was reported that she didn't finish out her 6th year of schooling, and had been missing for a while. Until the records talked of her coming in to retrieve a book called, _The Book of Ressurection_. The man's thin lips curled into a smile, "So, she figured it all out…without me" he whispered, "daddy's little Lixella is growing up."

William Cruxshade knew that it was only a matter of time before his daughter raised the banshees. He also knew that Voldemort was planning to use her as a weapon. He had given up on being a death eater a long time ago. He remembered the night in the Ministry, when he'd lost his wife.

The two of them had simply been assigned to infiltrate the Ministry and catch Harry Potter. It was a simple mission, that turned into a disaster. They were in The Department of Mysteries, when all of the shelves around them came crashing down. His wife had been killed in the crossfire, trying to protect him by pushing him out of the doorway while she blocked the shattering glass. She had died to save him. At that time, for some strange reason, William had not figured out that he had been sentenced to death by Voldemort. It wasn't until months later, when he found the Order, and got information on his daughter.

The Ministry of Magic currently suspected that she was trying to perform dark magic. However, they were not looking into it for some reason. It was as if they did not care. William did not understand, why would they just look past a young girl performing resurrection magic? Surely the Ministry was not so busy with Voldemort that they had stopped looking into other cases of dark wizardry.

Suddenly, there was a small clanking noise from down the corridor. William peered around the room, being careful to not make a sound. He then began rapidly flipping through the folder. He had to know the current whereabouts of his daughter's location. He found the page containing every single place she had stayed at for the past year. He stuffed the piece of paper into his pocket, and began putting the contents of the folder back together.

"William?" sounded a voice from behind him.

He spun around, pulling out his wand, ready to duel.

"Narcissa?"

* * *

><p>hehe...cliffhanger, it's pretty sweet XD<p>

thank you for reading, and please send me some reviews, I do love reviews ^_^

speaking of those, I think I'll reply to some now!

Raine Amorial: A TWIST! yeah they're good. Also, I've been thinking of putting Mickey in, but i'm not sure how to get him to the Duskwood estate, if anyone has ides, do tell!

DizzyPotter: I WRITE IN CAPS FOR EXCITEMENT TOO! I miss Jynx as well...but don't worry, she'll be back, with the rest of Hogwarts, and Draco too...eventually ^_^

Hold tight everybody, it's gonna be a bumpy ride XD on to parchment 6

Leave me a review or a comment ^_^ see you soon!


	6. Parchment 6: Quarrels Between Friends

Parchment 6!

Time to elaborate on that cliffhanger...or maybe i should keep rambling to keep you from reading it?

Nah, I'll just thank DizzyPotter, DezziPenn, and xXMizz Alec VolturiXx for their reviews and support

enjoy you guys, and thanks for reading ^_^

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 6: Quarrels Between Friends

"How…how can you be here?" asked Narcissa, staring at what she believed was a ghost. "you're supposed to be dead!" she exclaimed.

"Yes…well" started William, backing towards the exit, "I'm not. And, I'm also not coming back."

"William, you know Voldemort will have you killed if he finds out?" said Narcissa.

"He won't find out, if no one tells him" said William. He raised his wand a bit, peering around for an exit.

"I can't promise anything, William" replied Narcissa, "You know he has his ways of finding things out. If I know, then everyone knows."

"Narcissa…please…you can't" William pleaded with her.

He knew that she was right, but he couldn't give up. He had to find Lixella, he had to save his daughter. Narcissa did not make a single motion. She stood, glued to the spot, her gaze unwavering. Neither of them knew what to do. Either she could let him go, and hope no one found out. Or, she could easily take him down, and basically sentence him to death. She glanced over at the folder on the table, seeing that it was Lixella's.

"My daughter, Narcissa…I need to find her" said William, lowering his wand a bit. "I _have_ to save her. Please, you must understand me, I cannot take the thought of her being a death eater."

Narcissa stared at him, seeing the fear on his face. She knew that letting him go was the right thing. All he wanted was to keep his daughter away from Voldemort, and away from the terrible things that he himself had done. Narcissa understood, she had dealt with the same problem last year, when Draco took on the job of killing Dumbledore. The problem with William was that he didn't have anyone to help him. Narcissa had Snape to watch over Draco, but William, he could only stand by, and wonder if Lixella was okay.

"She's _not_ meant to be this weapon…she's my Lixella." his wand dropped a quarter of an inch, tears began forming in his eyes. "I have to find her, Narcissa…have you seen her?"

"I…" narcissa couldn't tell him her location. She knew that Lixella was much safer in America, than she would be running away with her father. "I can't tell you, William. I'm sorry." she said. William sighed in disappointment, he knew that she couldn't give him any answers. "But…she _is_ safe" said Narcissa, "I at least know that."

William looked down to the floor. He lowered his wand completely, there was nothing that he could do. He felt as if he would _never _be able to locate his daughter.

"are you going to kill me, Narcissa?" he asked in an empty voice.

"No" she said, and lowered her wand, "I'm going to pretend that this never happened. You are going to leave this office, and the ministry. It isn't safe for you to be here, William, Voldemort has control of it now. I'm surprised that you have not been caught yet. So, leave, go somewhere, anywhere but here."

He stepped forward and gave narcissa a hug. "Thank you" he said, and headed for the door. "She always liked you Narcissa…even more than her aunts."

"I'm sure" she nodded.

She began thinking of the many visits iris would spend, complaining about her niece.

William smiled, and gave her a nod, then headed out of the door. Narcissa brought a hand to her forehead. She knew that this encounter would only complicate things. She couldn't tell anyone about this. William had no idea what he had gotten into. Running away from Voldemort was a terrible idea. Especially when he had easy access to the people who were close to you.

Narcissa could only hope that he would never be found. Also, that he would never find Lixella. If he did, then Voldemort would have them both killed for sure. She couldn't bare to watch that happen. In the past year Lixella had become almost like a daughter to her. Not to mention that Draco had fallen in love with her. Narcissa wasn't sure how much more she could put her son through.

So much had happened to them, and the Cruxshades, it seemed as if there was a looming curse over their families. Narcissa picked up the folder, and put it back into the filing cabinet. She hoped that no one would ever find out about this encounter.

* * *

><p>Nym sat upside down in the black chair, staring intently at a locket. She had been fiddling with it for the past few minutes, ever since Lixella had shown it to her. It was really something lovely. She watched the silver glisten around a sparkling emerald. It had apparently been a gift from Lixella's current boyfriend, who Nym was still skeptic about. Sure, this was a lovely present, but Jonny had given her some pretty things too.<p>

She flipped the locket around in her hands, and stopped suddenly. She could've sworn that she'd seen something move inside of the emerald. She held it very closer to her face, her eyes were nearly crossed. Then, she saw it, through the emerald, just behind it, was what appeared to be a silhouette of two people dancing. Nym's eyes grew wide, she did not even know that it was possible to enchant a gem like this. She then tumbled out of the chair, and darted over to Lixella, who was sitting on the floor.

"Hey…look at this" said Nym, holding the locket out to her, "There are people dancing inside!"

Lixella took the locket, and held the emerald up in front of her face. She peered inside of it, and just as Nym said, there was a black silhouette of two people dancing. For a split second, Lixella was transported back to last December. The time that she danced with Draco in the astronomy tower. It was only for a moment, but in that moment, she felt happier than she had been in a long time.

"I…never noticed that before" she said.

She watched as the male silhouette spun the female around, then pulled her in close and kissed her. Lixella smiled, remembering when Draco kissed her for the second time. The first one was a short, almost non-existent, kiss in the Slytherin common room. However, the one in the astronomy tower, was her first _real_ one.

"This Draco guy" Nym said, "am I ever going to get to meet him?"

"Hopefully" said Lixella, "I don't know how, or when…but I'm sure you will eventually."

"So I guess you guys won't be splitting anytime soon?" she asked reluctantly.

"No, Nym" Lixella said with a bit of annoyance, "he's not Jonny, okay."

Lixella put the locket back around her neck, and began studying another journal.

"Okay, sorry" said Nym, she turned and proceeded back to the chair. "Look, Lixella…I'm going to have a hard time trusting anyone that you date, okay?"

"Well, you should trust me" said Lixella.

"I trust _you_" said Nym, crossing her arms uncomfortably, "It's the guys you date that I don't trust. They all seem so…well, for lack of a better word, snobbish."

"Excuse me!" Lixella remarked, she put the journal on the floor and stood up, her hands on her hips. "You're one to talk, Nym...who is it that you chose?…oh right, Mickey fucking Mageling! You know, the boy whose life we _were_ devoted to ruining. Have you forgotten that, Nym?"

"Hey" shouted Nym, she got up from her chair and pointed a finger towards Lixella. "don't you talk about him like that, Lixella. You don't know anything about him!" she shouted.

"You don't know anything about Draco!" shouted Lixella

"at least you've _met_ Mickey!" shouted Nym, crossing her arms.

"Yeah…and I think that he's an insufferable prick. Come one, Nym…according to you dating jack asses is my thing! Mickey is _not_ your type of guy…so why are you bothering with him?"

"Since when do I have a 'type'." Nym said, annoyed.

"Since forever, Nym…you've never liked Mickey…he's always been your rival, now I'm supposed to accept that you two are all lovey dovey with each other? How do you think this makes me feel, Nym? It's awkward!"

"Dammit, Lixella" Nym stomped her foot, "It's not like you _cared_ up until now. It's taken a year for you to say ANYTHING! Where were you, Lixella? I did not hear from you until a _week_ ago…how do you think I felt, huh?"

Lixella looked down at the floor.

"I'll tell you how I felt!" shouted Nym, "Ignored, alone, like my best friend was too busy having a wonderful time in England with her apparently new boyfriend…who she just so happens to be in _love_ with! And did you tell _me_ any of this? No! you didn't. I was left, all by myself, at Lunareth, trying to cope with not having you around. I had to deal with my mom and dad threatening to take me out of school, and trap me at home. I was breaking down, and you weren't there to help me! You know who was, Lixella? Mickey was…god forbid if he actually changed into a good person!"

Nym flopped back into the chair, her arms crossed, breathing heavily. She could not believe that Lixella chose now to comment on her relationship with Mickey. Who was she to question it?

"I love him, okay?" Said Nym, "and he's not going anywhere. So suck it up and deal with it, Lixella!"

"Well, at least now you know how I feel" said Lixella, she sat in a nearby couch. Nym shot her a confused and upset look. "You haven't met Draco. You don't know a damn thing about him, or what he's done for me. The boy hasn't even said hello to you, and you're judging him like he's Jonny. Thanks, Nym…really, thank you for understanding that I actually learned something from dating Jonny. Thank you for trusting my judgment! Such a wonderful friend you are, you deserve an applause." Lixella began clapping slowly.

"Well" said Nym, glaring holes through her, "I _don't_ know what he's done for you, Lixella. It's not like you'll tell me _anything _about what happened last year. I mean…It's not like I'm your best friend or anything…why would you share secrets with me? Am I still your best friend, Lixella? Or did you meet a new one of those in merry old England, too?"

Lixella stared at her for a good 5 minutes. Nym became uncomfortable, she had crossed a line, and Lixella was about to go off on her. She didn't care, there was nothing Lixella could say that would make Nym believe that last year was really terrible for her. Then, Lixella began rolling up her left sleeve. Nym's hands shot to her face when she noticed the dark mark on Lixella's arm. She didn't want to look at it, she couldn't accept that her best friend was a death eater. Lixella moved closer to Nym, and pulled her hands away from her face.

"This" she hissed, shoving her left arm towards Nym, "is what I've been dealing with, Nym. This…is what has been happening while I was off in merry old England. I am a death eater, Nym."

Nym looked away.

"Look at me." Lixella said, moving away from Nym's face, "this is what I am, Nym. I didn't really have much of a choice. Voldemort wants to use the banshees as a weapon…_I _am nothing but a weapon to him. I've been dealing with joining his army _unwillingly._ I've been dealing with being on the wrong side, and doing things that I don't want to be doing. And you know what, Nym? I'm still alive…you know why?"

Lixella waited for a response that she knew wasn't coming.

"I'm alive, because of Draco" said Lixella, "had he not been there to help me…I would probably have been in the obituary section of the newspaper by now. So, Nym, before you _judge_ him…just know that he's practically saved my life on _several_ occasions."

Nym did not respond, she just kept her gaze on the carpet. It was hard for her to imagine Lixella doing anything Death Eater related. She had nothing to say, this was not something that she had seen coming. Perhaps this Draco boy wasn't as bad as she thought.

"Sorry" said Nym, glancing up at her best friend.

"me too" said Lixella.

Just then, the door opened and Lita peeked her head inside. Lixella motioned for her to come in. The small house elf opened the door up and entered, carrying a letter in her hands.

"Miss Lixella" she said in a high voice, "a letter has come for you from your aunt Marceline. I think it's urgent!"

Lixella took the letter and thanked Lita. She then ripped it open. It must be the results of the inking test. She skimmed over it, Nym watched in confusion. Lixella suddenly hit a hand to her forehead, and threw the letter on the ground.

"What?" asked Nym

"Unicorn blood!" said Lixella, "of course it's unicorn blood."

"has your aunt been drinking unicorn blood?" Nym looked at her in disgust.

"No!" Lixella exclaimed, "the silver ink on the wall. It's unicorn blood. They put it there because it lasts forever as an ink. It will never fade…but it's hard to read. My uncle apparently said that you can only read unicorn blood ink in the dark, during a full moon. Otherwise, it just looks like patches of glitter on the wall."

Lixella rushed over to one of the windows, and peered out of it. She looked up at the lovely night sky. Her expression went grimm, and she exhaled in displeasure. There was no full moon tonight. "darnit! When is the next full moon?" she asked Nym.

"I dunno, in like another few weeks?" Nym questioned.

"I don't have that long!" Lixella exclaimed, she laid on the couch, and buried her face into a pillow.

"Wait" Nym said. She got up and started searching through the piles of journals. She stopped and pulled one out of the pile. Then, she turned to a page marked with a strip of parchment. "Look, here!" she said, pointing to a passage, "it talks about that lantern upstairs."

"So?" Lixella asked, not really caring.

"So… it says that one of the functions of the lantern is to mimic the light of a full moon, when it's lit with a regular candle!"

Lixella shot up, and darted off of the couch. She marched upstairs, and into the family room. She then grabbed the lantern and headed back downstairs.

"Lita" she called out, Lita appeared by the parlor. "Lita I need a candle, can you get me one please?"

Lita then scurried off. She returned a few minutes later with a white wax candle in her hands. She handed it to Lixella, who placed it into the lantern, and lit it. Nym turned off the lights, and they watched as the silvery parts of the map came into focus. The disconnected lines turned into banshee symbols. And a curving trail appeared as well. Lixella walked up closer to the map, studying the symbols carefully. She was so thankful that she knew how to speak and read banshee.

"What does it say?" Nym asked, staring at the map in awe.

"It's a trail…to the location of the dark woodlings!" Lixella exclaimed, "We can go ask them where the banshee burial grounds are. They might even be able to help with the resurrection."

The two of them stared at the map with hopeful looks on their faces. They finally had a lead, someone to talk to who knew the banshees. Perhaps these creatures would give them answers. Now, they could really start solving this mystery. Lixella's gaze moved towards the window.

"Perhaps I will make it back in time" she thought, "Just hold on a bit longer, Draco, I'm almost there."

* * *

><p>Miles away, Draco was laying in his bed, trying to forget the events of the day. He had been spending most of his time "helping" Voldemort question people. The tasks ranged from torturing to forcing veritaserum down people's throats. Either way, he wasn't doing anything enjoyable. He closed his eyes, and tried to think of something pleasant, something to keep him sane.<p>

A smile inched it's way across his face as he pictured Lixella. He wished that she wasn't in America, so far away. He needed someone to yell at right now. Someone who could understand his anger, and argue with him. He tried to imagine what she would be saying if she was there with him.

"_What?"_ said the imaginary Lixella,_ "poor widdle Dwakie can't take big mean ol' Voldy picking on everyone? Aw…so sad, you want me to go beat him up for you? Huh? Since you obviously can't handle it yourself."_

"Oh, I can handle it, Cruxshade" he smirked, "I can handle it _far_ better than you can."

He stared up at the ceiling. The smirk left instantly, once he realized that he talking to himself. It had been hard, not having anyone present to bicker with. Especially now that his father was home. He had to behave twice as well as he did last year.

He got up and removed some pajama pants from his dresser. He then began unbuttoning his shirt. As he was dressing for bed, he caught his reflection in the mirror. He despised looking at his current state. It was terrible. He looked exhausted all of the time. His skin had become paler. Instead of being the nice pale peach that it usually was, it was becoming almost grey, as if he were ill. His hair rarely ever remained in it's perfectly primmed state, as it had in previous years. It was far too apparent that the stress was getting to him.

"_God" _he heard imaginary Lixella say, "_you're such a pretty boy!_"

"Whatever" he scoffed, mentally slapping himself for talking to no one, once more.

He got into bed, and turned off the light. He stared out of the window, into the distance, at the forest trees that were bathed in dim moonlight. His mind wandered to Lixella, wanting to know what she was doing, if she was okay. He then turned over and grabbed a pocket watch from his night stand. He flipped it open, and stared blankly at the clock hands pointing to the coiled dragon, it was midnight.

"_It's twelve in the morning, Draco_" Imaginary Lixella exclaimed, "_do you know where your pants are?_"

He shook his head and began laughing, not caring that he was still talking to himself. In his minds eye he could see her, smiling and laughing with him. There was nothing he wanted more at that moment, then to be in America with her. All he wanted was to see her. He wanted to be far away from England, laying in a bed, holding her.

"Just a few more days" he said.

In a few more days he would be taking his turn in checking up on Lixella. He would be leaving on the Sunday before Halloween. He would finally get to see her. It would only be for a week, though he wished that it was longer than that.

He turned onto his left side, imagining that she was sleeping just across from him. He extended his right arm out, only to feel the cold sheets across from him. He lay the watch down on the sheet, and closed his eyes.

On the other side of the ocean, Lixella lay in her bed as well. She was laying on her right side, clinging onto a pillow. Her left arm was extended outward, resting on the cold, empty space across her bed. Her right arm was tucked underneath the pillow, clinging to a locket. Her mind was far off, dreaming of a snarky blond Brittish boy, whom she loved.

* * *

><p>Aww...doesn't it just make your heart want to explode? I hope not...because that's bad for your health.<p>

Thank you for reading!

now time to review my reviews XD

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Cissy is so awesome! she doesn't get enough credit in my opinion!

DizziPenn: Calm your overly exposed tits woman! you're catching a case of my immortal XD Nym's problem wit Dwakie is that he's a fokin goffick, an she's a poser prep! you're review made me lulz!

(just as a side note, if you haven't read marikaT's commentary on 'My Immortal' yet, then please do, they are a GENIUS!)

DizzyPotter: please don't die, if you die then i'll lose one of my favorite reviewers. I've put the chapter up so that you can live...yay! No worries about Draco and Lixella, they'll be back together soon!

See you all in Parchment 7! leave me a review or face the wrath of my flying spider monkies!


	7. Parchment 7: Introductions in Panties

Parchment 7 is here! if you are reading this simply for the chapter title, then great! it's doing ti's job XD

hope you enjoy guys, and thanks to Keepinhope for the favorite

and to DizzyPotter and xXMizz Alec VolturiXx for their reviews ^_^

Enjoy, and thanks for reading!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 7: Introductions in Panties

Lixella stood, wobbling to one side, using a couch for support. She had become sick from Nym's cooking. It had been a lovely gesture, Nym offering to prepare dinner. However, Lixella failed to realize that not only was Nym an awful cook, she was also a southern cook. Everything that Nym made was drenched in spice. For supper she had prepared a seafood gumbo, with extra Tabasco sauce. Lixella could not take spicy foods, they made her stomach churn.

The minute that the soup had touched her tongue, Lixella was practically breathing fire. She had spat out chunks of shrimp onto the table, and the spoon had fallen to the floor. She remembered looking up at Nym, who had already inhaled half of the bowl. Nym just stared at her in confusion, her mouth full of soup. She did not understand how there could be anyone on the planet who hated spicy gumbo. Lixella had tried to be polite, and finished off the whole bowl in one gulp. This, of course, was a terrible idea, but she was far too polite to refuse Nym's kindness.

Now, she was paying the price. The gumbo had made it's way through her digestive system, and her stomach was very angry with her. She wobbled across the room, holding her upper waist, and made her way to the kitchen. Upon entering she removed a glass from the cabinet, and filled it with water. She chugged the water down, almost all of it at once. The glass was set onto the countertop with a clank. Lixella lifted herself onto the countertop as well. Just then, Nym entered, smiling from ear to ear.

"So" she said in a chipper tone, "how was dinner?"

Lixella immediately wiped the grimace from her face, and looked at Nym with delight.

"Delicious" she said, trying to keep her sickness down.

"Wonderful!" exclaimed Nym, "now time for dessert!"

Lixella looked as if Nym had just said she was going to kill her. She could only wonder what Nym had made for dessert. Lava cake? Tobasco pudding? Five alarm fire puffs?

"Strawberry shortcake!" Nym said.

Lixella sighed in relief, happy that there would be no sampling of five alarm fire puffs tonight. The two of them walked back into the dining room, where Lita held out a tray with two lovely Strawberry shortcakes.

"We made more than two Lita?" said Nym, looking at her in confusion, "Ziz and I did…I think."

"Ziz has left to give the rest of the cakes to the other house elves, miss Nym." said Lita, smiling wide. "And thank you!"

"Thank you, Lita" said Nym, and the small house elf scurried away.

They both began munching on the fluffy little cakes.

"Kind of early for dinner though, don't you think?" asked Nym

She was trying to strike up a conversation. All night she had been super polite to Lixella. She had a very important question. The only way she would get a yes, was if she was on her best behavior.

"Yeah, I suppose" said Lixella.

A few moments of awkward silence passed. Nym decided to make her move, she shifted in her chair, and faced Lixella. She kept her composure, it was like asking her mother a question. She held back in reserve, took a deep breath, and then began.

"So…Lixella, it's almost Halloween" she said, "you know, about now, we would usually be packing to go home for fall break."

Lixella simply nodded, she was a bit confused by the conversation. It was as if Nym was reviewing something mundane, and yet complicated. Her voice was shaky, and she used large hand gestures.

"Yeah" replied Lixella, "it's about that time."

"Well, you _do_ remember my birthday, right?" asked Nym.

The silver spoon fell from Lixella's mouth, hitting the table with a "ting".

"Of course I remember that your birthday is on Halloween, Nym" said Lixella in shock, "do you think I'm _that_ terrible of a person?"

"No…no…not at all" said Nym, she backed her tone up a bit. She had to be very careful in maneuvering her next few words. " It's just that, well…since I'm not at home…I was wondering if I could have a special present?"

"Like what?" Lixella asked, shifting her posture and raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you see…"Nym gulped back nerves, "Mickey's parents are off in Paris right now, tending to their summer home. His whole house is empty for fall break, and he's all by himself."

Lixella was having a hard time keeping up, Nym's mouth was moving a mile a minute.

"And, well, I was wondering if…if…umm…you see" she stuttered.

"Spit it out Nym" Lixella said plainly.

"can Mickey come over here for Halloween? You know, since it's my birthday?" she asked with a shaky voice.

Nym scooted down in her chair, trying to make herself smaller, so as to avoid Lixella's gaze.

Lixella simply stared at her, pondering her answer. She despised Mickey Mageling with every fiber of her being. He was the epitome of all things unbearable to her. However, Nym was in love with him, so she couldn't refuse. It crossed her mind for a second, that she never actually tried to get to know Mickey. Perhaps, since Nym trusted him, she could bear to get along with him for a day or two. She turned to Nym, who was cowering in her chair, and leaned over the table.

"Okay" she said, her eyes narrowed, "But, if he acts like a pompus ass, I'm kicking him out."

"Thank you!" said Nym, she jumped out of her chair, and tackled Lixella. "and, don't worry…he might be taking me somewhere for my birthday anyways."

"No" said Lixella

Nym looked at her in shock and confusion.

"You can't leave" said Lixella, "The Bureau of Magic is probably investigating your disappearance. If they find you, with me...I'm a death eater, remember? That will only end badly."

Nym pouted, and turned away. She had almost forgotten that her parent's were oblivious to her location. If she left the house, the authorities could find her, and take her back. Then, she'd be locked back in her room, waiting for another to mention that Lixella would be in piles of trouble. Not just with The Bureau, but also with Voldemort. Lixella was already risking enough by letting Nym, a muggle-born, say with her.

"Fine" she muttered, "but what are you going to do?"

"I dunno" said Lixella.

She hadn't really thought about the subject of Halloween. She still had to seek out the dark woodlings. The fact that a holiday was coming up was the last thing on her mind. In fact, she had no idea of what time it was, or what day it was. She had lost track completely, getting caught up in the resurrection. She tried to remember how long it had been since her uncle Zander left. She was sure that her next check in was arriving soon, it would most likely be her aunt Iris.

"What day is it?" she asked Nym

"Um…Saturday, I think?" Nym said

Lixella's eyes grew wide. She shot up from her chair and began pacing the room. She started picking things up, and placing them into a more clean spot. Even things that weren't out of place, she would pick them up, and place them somewhere different. She began straightening up every picture frame she could find. Her breathing became heavy as she began to panic. Nym sat staring at her in fear.

"You okay, Lixella?" she asked, puzzled.

Lixella did not respond, she simply screeched, and marched out of the door. Nym got out of her seat, and followed Lixella to the parlor room. Lixella screamed as she entered. The place was full of papers. Everything was messy, not a single surface was uncovered. She frantically began straightening up the journals, and throwing the pillows back on the couches. She couldn't hear anything that Nym was saying, her mind was completely fixated on cleaning. She could not have her aunt seeing the state of her house. Everything was a wreck. If aunt Iris saw this, Lixella would never hear the end of it.

"Lixella" Nym demanded, "What are you doing?"

Lixella turned to her, fear was riddled across her face. "My aunt Iris is coming tomorrow" she said, Nym gasped, "If she sees this place in such a state, she'll have my head."

Nym frantically began throwing things into neat piles. She had met Lixella's aunt Iris once before. The woman was terrible. She was extremely judgmental, and had a nasty love for perfection. Nym knew that she would give Lixella a terribly hard time if she arrived to find this mess.

Together, the two of them, and a few house elves, spent nearly half of the night making Duskwood Estate spotless. Once they were done, Nym and Lixella exhaled, and fell onto couches in the parlor. Lixella looked around, admiring their work. The place was sparkling clean. It looked as if they were trying to sell it. The floors glistened with their glossy finish, almost reflecting her frazzled gaze. The lights were brighter now that they had cleaned the dust from the walls. Not a single cobweb, or dust speck could be found anywhere.

Lixella looked over to the tall grandfather clock. It was now 4 a.m., her aunt would be arriving at 10 tomorrow.

"We should get some sleep" said Lixella.

She looked over at Nym, still catching her breath. There was no answer, for Nym had collapsed into sleep, right there on the couch. Lixella stared at the door, wondering if she could make it all the way upstairs. She got up, her legs feeling heavy, and located a blanket. She then threw the blanket over Nym, and headed upstairs to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning was lovely. The sun shown clearly in the cloudless sky. Blue birds and robins sang a merry tune in the distant trees. The weather felt chilled, but not bitter. Lixella was sleeping, peacefully in her bed. She did not know what time it was, nor had she set an alarm. However, she did not need one for she was awoken by a loud, shrill scream.<p>

Lixella toppled off of the bed, and shot up. She wrestled the covers off of her, grabbed her wand, and bolted towards the door. Once she reached the end of the hall, she realized that she'd left Nym asleep in the parlor. Lixella rushed down the stairs. Someone must've gotten in, they may have gotten to Nym. Lixella hoped that the authorities hadn't arrived to take Nym back home. A whole slew of terrible things ran through her mind as she dashed across her house. She finally reached the parlor door. She kicked it open, and took out her wand, ready to face whatever was in her house.

Her face went from terribly serious, to beaming with joy. There, by the fireplace, stood Draco. He was staring quite puzzled at something on the floor. She could not have been any happier than she was at that moment.

Just then, Nym shot up off of the floor. Her red and purple hair was frizzed into a mess on top of her head. She took one look at Lixella, and fell back onto the floor, laughing. Lixella looked back to Draco, who had just noticed her. His eyes were wide, and staring straight at her in shock.

"What?" asked Lixella.

Draco, who just realized his staring, closed his eyes, and pointed downward.

"You're umm…you're pants, Lixella" he said, a hand over his face.

Lixella peered down, only to find her bare long legs. She was not wearing any pajama pants. In her frenzy to save Nym she hadn't located any pants for herself. She usually just slept in a night shirt and underwear.

Lixella walked over to the nearest wall, and hit her head on it. Nym was still laughing on the floor.

"You're…" Nym said between breaths, "You're half naked…haha"

"Yes, Nym" she spat, "I am…dammit! I don't usually sleep with pants on. And that screeching you just did, I thought something bad had happened. So it didn't occur to me that I was half naked!"

"Are you enjoying the view?" she asked Draco, who simply turned red. "Ouch!" Nym screamed as a journal hit her in the head.

"I blame you, Nym!" said Lixella as she grabbed another journal, "You aren't funny!"

"Of course I'm not" said Nym as she got up, "You're the funny one…coming in here with no pants on! Ow!"

Lixella had chucked another journal at her head. Nym opened her mouth to make a remark, but was silenced by a pillow being thrown towards her face.

"Chill out, Lixella!" Nym yelled.

She located her wand, just as Lixella located another journal. The two of them held the objects in the air, waiting for the other to make a move.

"You wouldn't dare" said Lixella, glaring at her.

"Try me" Nym said, her eyes were nearly slits, glaring at Lixella.

All at once, Lixella dropped the journal, removed her wand again, and pointed it to Nym.

They both moved closer, ready to cast their jinxes.

"Stupe.." they shouted in unison

"_Protego" _Draco interrupted, and a wall was put between them.

Both of the girl's spells backfired, sending them both flying backwards. Nym skidded across the floor, and Lixella's back hit hard against a bookshelf. Lixella winced in pain as the wood hit into her spine. Nym got up from the floor, rubbing her burned back.

"Well, that was pointless" Nym muttered as she got up and sat on the couch.

Draco merely shook his head, and walked over to Lixella. He wrapped an arm around her, and helped her up off of the floor. She made it over to her dad's chair, and sat down.

"Sexy choice of underwear by the way" he smirked.

Nym began laughing again, once she noticed Lixella's expression. Lixella looked down at her lace lined panties, and sighed in embarrassment. She then located a blanket, and yanked it over herself. She could feel her cheeks turning pink as she buried her face into her knees. Nym was now clutching her stomach, trying to calm herself down. She finally stopped laughing, and sighed. Then, she noticed Draco sitting in the corner, staring at him as if he hadn't been there for the past few minutes.

"Wait…" she said, turning to Lixella, "That isn't your aunt Iris, is it?"

Nym's expression became nearly disgusted, she studied Draco from head to toe.

"No that isn't my aunt, you idiot!" Lixella spat, "My aunt is a woman! Duh…"

Nym kept studying Draco. She'd never seen him before, and she'd met most of Lixella's family. He seemed out of place to her. He was the epitome of pale. His hair was nearly white, and his skin was so light that it could almost glow.

"Is…" Nym began, "are you Arthus?" she asked in confusion. "He looks nothing like your aunt Iris, and uncle Zander. All the better I suppose, I never thought they'd make a good looking child. Not to say that you aren't good looking, you're very attractive!"

She turned to Draco, whose face was twisted into sheer confusion. His jaw was hanging open, and his eyebrows were raised. He had never seen this girl in his life. She seemed like a complete idiot. He looked over to Lixella, whose face was now buried in her palms.

"Who the _hell_ is this, Lixella?" he asked, pointing to Nym.

Lixella looked up and him, and exhaled slowly. "Draco, this is Nym Muse, my best friend" she said, then turned to Nym, "Nym, this is Draco Malfoy, MY BOYFRIEND, YOU TARD!" she shouted.

Lixella found it hard to believe, that Nym was so slow as to think that she and Draco were related. Nym scowled at Lixella. Then, she turned to Draco, her eyes narrowed.

"So…" Nym said accusingly, "You're_ him_, are you?"

Nym got up off of the couch and slowly made her way over to Draco. He stared at her as she began circling him.

"Yes, I'm…erm, me" he said puzzled.

"So.." Nym grabbed the arms of his chair, and leaned in. She was a little more than an inch from his face, "you think you can handle dating my best friend, huh?"

"Yes?" he said in confusion.

He wasn't sure why this girl was so unhappy with him, he hadn't done anything to her.

"yes, he says…" she hissed, "Well, Draco…if that _is_ your real name? I'm going to warn you right now, that you'd better keep straight. If you so much as lay a hand on her…I'll have your head."

"Down, Nym" Lixella said, rolling her eyes.

Nym backed away from Draco, glaring at him. Surprisingly, he was a bit frightened by the small ginger girl. He stared back at her as she sat in a chair. She looked like a better made version of one of the Weasleys. Her short, choppy red hair came down to her chin, and sat frazzled on her head, like flames.

"Really lovely friends you have, Lixella" he said, glaring at Nym.

"you're one to talk" scowled Lixella

"Why?" Nym asked, "is it because his friends are all monkey brained nimrods? Or is that just him?"

"really" Draco smiled, "you are just a lovely little prat, aren't you?"

"a what?" Nym asked, "really, you should work on that accent of yours…no one around here will be able to understand you with that level of snobbishness!"

"come off it you two" Lixella shouted suddenly. "I am not going to have the two of you bickering for the next week."

"two weeks" Draco said.

Lixella looked over to him, smilling, "Two?" she asked, her tone becoming happier.

"Yeah" he said, "they told me I could stay for two. Thought it might speed things up if I was here."

"Oh goody…goody…gumdrops" Nym said, her voice drenched in sarcasm. "I'm so happy to know that you'll be around for another 2 weeks."

"oh shut up, Nym" spat Lixella, "As if Mickey Mageling is going to make a better house guest!"

Nym scoffed and looked away. Lixella got up from the chair, and tied the blanket around her waist. She then walked over to the fireplace, and picked up Draco's bag.

"c'mon, Draco" she said, "I'll show you to your room."

Draco got up to follow her. Nym stuck her tongue out at both of them, then got up to locate her hairbrush. Draco glanced around at the intricately detailed foyer, It was wide and open, with four windows that looked out onto a porch. All around the room were small wooden carvings, stuck to the ceiling and corners. Lixella began ascending a large carpeted staircase that split off into two different staircases. Draco looked up the stairs, at the portrait of her family. Lixella turned around, and he saw just how much she resembled her mother. They were near mirror images of one another.

"Don't you have house elves to take your bags upstairs?" he asked.

"Oh god…" she said, "you're right. Lita!"

Suddenly Lita appeared at the bottom of the staircase.

"Yes, Miss Lixella" she said

"could you please tell Ziz to start on lunch, I'm starving!" said Lixella.

"of course, ma'am. Anything else? Do you need help with that bag?" asked Lita

"No, that's all…thank you Lita" said Lixella.

Lita gave a curtsy and headed into another room. Draco turned to Lixella, confused. He did not understand why she insisted on doing things herself, when there was clearly others to do it for her.

"I know what you're thinking" she said, turning to him, "and I'd prefer to just carry it myself."

Lixella turned back around and headed upstairs, Draco followed close behind her.

"But, what's the point of having house elves if they have nothing to do?" he asked.

"they do things" she said, turning a corner, "they cook; they clean; they keep the grounds looking nice; and keep the muggles away from the house. They also organize the mail, feed the horses, groom Archemedese…"

"Archemedese?" he asked

"Oh, Archemedese, or Archie, as I call him…he's my father's hipogryph." replied Lixella.

"you're father owns a hipogryph?" Draco was in near shock.

"Yeah, it was my grandfather's" she said nonchalantly.

He stared at her, it was as if owning a hipogryph seemed normal to Lixella. Draco didn't think that anyone could actually own a hipogryph. Nonetheless, that a hipogryph would submit itself to being someone's pet. They must've had the thing since it was born, or else it wouldn't trust them. He tried to figure out where they'd gotten a hipogryph egg from. Draco flashed back to third year, when Buckbeak attacked him. He would admit that his father had some flamboyantly odd animals, but nothing nearly as strange as a hipogryph.

They reached their destination finally, and Lixella clicked open the door. He entered into a large room, with a four-post queen-sized bed, and tall windows. He walked over and looked out of one of them. Before him sat an endless view of green landscape. In the distance sat rows of forest trees and, just off to the right, was a white willow tree. It's branches tumbled down to the ground, and fell delicately around two gravestones.

"Is that…" he hesitated to ask, "Is that your parent's grave?"

Lixella looked up at him, and slowly walked over to the window. She had nearly forgotten that her parents were buried just behind the house. Or, at least, one of them was. She stared at the graves, which were being lightly brushed by the willow branches.

"Yeah" she said softly, "that's um…that's them."

She could feel tears begin to drip down her cheeks. The rest of her remained completely silent and still. She had not thought about her mother in a long time. It was painful, knowing that she was lying in the ground, alone. Her mother was sentenced to die, while she and her father still roamed the earth, it seemed so unfair. Draco noticed her crying, and wrapped his arms around her. He kissed the top of her head, and she wiped away her tears.

"Sorry" she muttered, "I haven't really noticed it in a while."

"No" he said, "I shouldn't have brought it up."

"it's fine" she said, turning away from the window, "anyways, this is my room."

"wait…I'm staying in your room?" he said without thinking, "but won't your parents…oh"

"Good save" she said, "you're staying in here, unless you oppose?"

"No, this is fine" he said looking around, "really, it's a damn good idea!"

"Great!" she exclaimed, giving him a hug.

She pulled him in close, positively beaming at the fact that he was there. She had wanted nothing more, in the past few weeks, than for him to be there. Being able to hug him seemed like such a lovely little miracle. She looked up at him, leaned in, and kissed him softly. She smiled as she pulled away, savoring his presence.

"I'll be downstairs" she said, as she unlinked her hands, and headed out of the room.

Draco turned back to the window. He stared out at the large green landscape, with it's rolling hills, and deep green forests. He felt genuinely happy for the first time in a while. Finally, after weeks of hell, he was standing where he wanted to be. He was away from England, away from Voldemort, the death eaters, and away from the awful things he did at home. He liked Lixella's house, it had some sort of peaceful quality to it. It seemed to be able to take him away from the troubles of the rest of the world. He glanced over to her bed, staring at the unmade blankets. It almost seemed unreal, thinking that he would be spending the coming night holding onto Lixella.

* * *

><p>Thank you for reading Parchment 7! parchment 8 will be up fairly soon ^_^<p>

Really, you guys are so awesome, I've never put so much work into a story like this. Nor have I had such a wonderful group of people to support me.

So thanks, so much, for everything ^_^

now for review reviews!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: thank you ^_^ I'm trying to make this story follow the 7th book as closely as possible.

DizzyPotter: DO. NOT. EXPLODE! hopefully you can read this chapter, with a bit more convenience ^_^

By the way, just wondering cuz I've reached chapter 24 of Deathly Hallows, and I'm confused. It says at the beginning of the book that Draco isn't at Hogwarts, but then in Chapter 23, his father says says he's home for Easter. Does he go back to Hogwarts that year, or not? because if so then I have some terrible holes in my story that need fixing!

thank you for reading you guys, see you soon!


	8. Parchment 8: Mickey Mageling

Parchment 8 has arrived! Oh boy, this is all so exciting!

I'm really loving the feedback you guys, please keep reviewing

I'd like to thank xOpheliacx for reading both stories, favoriting, and reviewing all at once ^_^

also, thank you to DizzyPotter, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, RaineAmorial, and altissiomorangerocks for their reviews as well

and thank you to whoever else is reading!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 8: Mickey Mageling

Lixella walked down the large staircase of Duskwood estate, dressed in a simple red gown. There was a large and lovely party going on. In the foyer were groups of people, chatting about the latest news. Lixella, however, was not paying attention to them. She was trying to find someone, searching as if her life depended on it. The stairs seemed to glide away beneath her feet, and the hallway shot past her. She eventually came to a doorway, large and dark, it stood ominously in front of her. It was as if the things behind it were secret, things she wasn't allowed to know about. Her hands reached forward and grabbed the knob, turning it, she heard a click. Lixella pushed open the doorway to find a tall woman, dressed in a white ball gown. The lady was on the back porch, sitting on a swing. In her arms she cradled a dark haired girl, around 3 years old.

"Mom" Lixella muttered, and the lady turned to face her.

"Hello dearest" she said, still cradling the sleeping Lixella of 3 years. "I've been waiting for you. Sit down…"

But, just as Lixella went to sit upon the white swing, her mother was dragged into the distance. Lixella screamed out to her, chasing her mother's lifeless figure. She ran across the back lawn, her bare feet hitting the wet green grass. She reached out to her mother, as if she could pull her back. Just then, a white willow tree emerged from the distance. Her mother's body was dragged down into a hole. Lixella halted at the edge, staring into the black abyss where her mother had just vanished. She did not know whether she should jump into it. Her stomach felt sick watching the dark shadows below her. Then, she felt raspy breathing on her neck.

"Lixy…baby" said a low snarling voice, "Good to see you again, love."

Lixella turned around slowly, holding her breath. She turned to face a pair of pale grey eyes. His face held softened angles, with messy black hair atop his head. His thin lips were twisted into a cynical smile. He was tall, with slouched posture, tanned skin, and strong arms. There was an almost ferocity to his stance, as if he were about to attack her. She reached a hand out, and touched his face, making sure that he was real.

"Jonny?" she said breathlessly.

In an instant, one of his arms reached out and grabbed Lixella by the throat. She gasped for air, clinging to his outstretched arm, trying to pry it from her throat. He raised her in the air, and threw her into the dark black abyss. She watched as Jonny disappeared above her. She reached out in front of her, trying to grasp onto something. Her weightless body fell fast, consumed by darkness.

* * *

><p>Lixella bolted upright in her bed, grabbing onto the sheets. Her breathing was heavy, and choppy. A cold sweat trickled down her forehead. She grabbed onto her shirt collar, pulling it down, trying to cool herself. Her heart was racing, and her stomach was sick.<p>

"Holy hell!" said Draco, in near shock from his wake up, "are you alright?"

Lixella looked around the room. She hadn't even realized that she was dreaming. Suddenly, reality crashed back around her. She could feel the cool air from her ceiling fan, as well as the soft sheets around her legs. She slowly brought a hand to her neck, grazing it with her fingers.

"F-fine…" she muttered, still catching her breath, "just a nightmare"

"about what?' he asked in shock.

Lixella paused for a moment. She wasn't sure if she wanted to go through and explain her terrible relationship with Jonny Damian.

"Boys…" she said plainly, "annoying boys"

Draco stared at her with uncertainty. Did she mean him? Or someone else? Certainly she wasn't having a nightmare about him. He hadn't done anything terrible, yet. He began replaying the events of the past two days, making sure that he hadn't done something awful. It could, perhaps, have been his terrible interaction with Nym. However, this was completely Nym's fault, because she would not spend more than two seconds in a room with him. "Was it about me? It couldn't have been about me" he said.

Lixella did not hear him, she had flung the covers off of herself, and was sitting on the bedside. She stared out of the window, watching the willow tree sway in the distant breeze. There seemed to be something important about today. Lixella sighed, trying to remember why today was so important. It was Tuesday, that was for sure, but what was going to happen on Tuesday? Just then, the door cracked open, and Nym poked her head inside. She had one hand placed over her eyes, as if wanting to blind herself.

"So, pants…are you both wearing them?" she asked in an accusatory voice.

Lixella began laughing, "yes, Nym, we both have on pants" she stated.

Nym pulled her hand away from her eyes, and smiled. She then opened the door completely, and made her way inside. Lixella's jaw dropped, for Nym wasn't wearing pajamas. Instead she was dressed in very formal clothing. She wore a short cerulean dress, that looked like it belonged on a 1950s infomercial for housewives. Her hair had been brushed and styled to resemble Lucy Ricardo. Lixella stared at her, she had never seen Nym dressed up. Usually her attire consisted of whatever she could pull out of her laundry ben. Lixella got up off of the bed, and approached Nym curiously. She studied every aspect of her clothing in aw, as if she'd never seen the girl before. Lixella paused, and began staring at Nym's face.

"a-are you wearing make-up?" Lixella asked, bewildered.

"yes" Nym said, staring at her.

"I-is that lip stick?" she asked, poking Nym's face.

"Jesus woman!" Nym exclaimed, batting away Lixella's hand, "yes, it's make-up…I can look nice if I want to. It's Halloween for Christ's sake!"

"Oh…" Lixella crossed her arms, staring at Nym unpleasantly. She then turned around, and headed into her closet.

"what do you mean oh?" asked Nym, insulted.

Lixella poked her head out of the closet doorway and addressed Draco.

"Sorry Draco" she said, "But Mickey Mageling is coming."

"is that bad?" he asked, looking puzzled.

"Oh no" Lixella stated, "It just means you'll have to deal with another pussy walking around."

Draco let out a rather loud snort of laughter. Nym just stood, staring at Lixella coldly. Her mouth was turned up into a scowl. The ferocity in her eyes could've set someone on fire.

"Dammit Lixella!" she screeched, "he's not a woman!"

"He's certainly the girl of _your_ relationship" said Lixella

"Whatever" Nym scoffed, "he's going to be here soon, just please be dressed."

Lixella opened the closet doors, and waltzed out in her underwear and a shirt.

"will I be needing a bra?" she asked, leaning against the closet door in a sultry pose.

"of course you'll need a bra, Lixella!" Nym shouted, her face almost red

"Oh no, not for me" said Lixella, "I meant for Mickey. I was thinking of one with sexy pink lace."

Nym let out a high pitched scream, and marched out of the room. Lixella waved at her as she walked away, smiling broadly. Draco, who was pinned to the bed from sheer amusement, calmed himself down.

"You really don't like this Mickey guy, do you?" he asked.

"Nope, he's a complete ass." said Lixella as she walked back into the closet, "I'm sorry you have to meet…actually, no I'm not. You two might get along. Oh, that's scary"

Lixella stared at the floor for a few seconds. Draco began to wonder about Mickey, could he really be that bad? He had seen Lixella dislike people, there was the whole ordeal with Pansy last year. However, he had never encountered someone that she truly despised. This, for certain, was going to be an interesting experience.

* * *

><p>At around 3 o'clock they were all seated in the parlor. Lixella was sitting cross-legged on the floor, staring at the silver map on the wall. Draco had picked up one of the journals, and was reading through Lixella's family history. He couldn't help but notice the things that her family members had studied, and the horror stories of their deaths. There were people who had been possessed, murdered, even exploded in their pursuit of achieving resurrection. There was even one story where a great uncle sold his soul to a demon, in order to learn about raising the dead.<p>

"Did this stuff actually happen?" he asked Lixella, halfway in shock from discovering how dark her family history was.

"Yeah" she said, "I suppose it did. It's written there, isn't it?"

"But, you can't sell your soul to demons. Can you? Do demons exist?" he asked, flipping the pages.

"Eh…" Lixella shrugged, "banshees are real. Why not demons?"

"You're family history is really twisted, Lixella" said Nym as she opened another journal; "Honestly, I don't understand how your family survived all the way to you."

"really" said Draco, "this stuff is almost unbelievable."

"Oh come on you two" said Lixella, "You act as if no one has ever studied the dark arts before!"

"This isn't dark, it's maddening" said Nym, "people don't just get haunted by their unborn children, go mad, and then commit suicide. Seriously, you should be careful with all of this!"

"I'm fine Nym" said Lixella, a bit offended, "these are all journals of mistakes that generations of Duskwoods have made. They all made those mistakes so that when I got here, I would be fine."

"Just don't go blowing up anytime soon" muttered Draco, "I'm _not_ cleaning that mess up!"

A knock suddenly came from the front door, and they all stared at each other in confusion. Lixella was sure that Mickey was arriving by means of floo powder. Surely he hadn't traveled all the way through the woods, to the front door. She opened the door, and to her amazement, found Mickey Mageling standing there, scowling at her. Lixella involuntarily scowled back.

"Happy Halloween, Cruxshade" he said unpleasantly, studying her from head to toe.

"Back at you…Mageling" Lixella said venomously.

The two of them stood there, staring coldly at each other. Draco was positively terrified of Lixella, at this moment. He had never seen her glare at anyone with such an amount of loathing. It was as if a dark cloud had formed it's way around her and Mickey. Nym, who was rolling her eyes, sighed and pushed her way through the door. In an instant, Mickey's expression changed from that of complete disgust, to extreme happiness. Mickey made his way through the door, Nym clinging to his arm. Lixella closed it, and made her way to Draco, looking as if she was about to vomit.

"Mickey, this is Draco Malfoy, my boyfriend" said Lixella, "Draco, this is Mickey Mageling…Nym's girlfriend."

Mickey turned red with anger, but extended his hand to Draco, who shook it.

"Nice to meet you" said Draco

"Same" Mickey replied.

He was average height for his age, with a slender figure. His skin looked sickeningly pale compared to Nym's. The hair on his head was blond and circled his scalp in bushy curls. His face was long with a pointed jaw, and cold amber eyes. He could've been an elf out of a fairy tale novel. He looked strange standing next to Nym. Her entire figure emitted this glow of fiery warmth, whereas Mickey's was more pristine and icy.

"Happy birthday, by the way" said Mickey as he gave Nym a kiss on her cheek.

"Oh, shit!" she shouted, and darted upstairs, "Sorry, forgot something!"

The atmosphere in the room became awkwardly cold. Draco wasn't sure what to do, considering that Lixella was filled with hatred. He decided it best to just not say anything.

"Look Mageling" Lixella started, glaring holes through Mickey, "I dislike you, and I'm sure you can return that feeling. However, since Nym seems to be so oddly fond of you; I'm going to look past how much of a prick you are, and give you a chance. One chance!"

"Don't try to be intimidating, Cruxshade" Mickey said cooly, "It isn't a good look for you. Nor are you very good at it."

It was odd, hearing Mickey talk, his speech resembled that of Professor Snape's. In fact, a lot of him resembled Snape. He didn't have the large nose, but he carried himself in the same way. His tone was cold, and hindered on the side of insulting.

Nym came running back down the stairs suddenly, holding a red box. She handed it to Mickey, who looked at her in confusion.

"It's your birthday, Darling, not mine" he said, studying the package.

"I know that" said Nym, "just take the present and say thank you!"

"Thank you" Said Mickey as he leaned in and kissed her.

Lixella winced in pain, as if someone had just hit her. She choked back vomit, and tried to be pleasant.

"I've been told we aren't allowed to leave the house?" Mickey asked, "Is this because Lixella brought you here?"

Draco watched as, once again, Lixella swallowed a come back. It must have been very hard for her to not say anything. He knew better than anyone else, that she loved getting the last word. However, for Nym's sake, Lixella was holding back her sharp tongue. He was starting to understand why Lixella hated him. When Draco and Lixella fought, it was openly, and neither of them stopped the argument; When she and Nym fought, it wasw as playful banter between friends, and usually ended in laughter. However, when she and Mickey fought, he shrugged her off, as if she weren't worth talking to.

"Yes" said Nym as she walked into the parlor, "I'm happy to be here though, it's much better than being stuck at home."

"Yes, dear, but you're _safer_ at home." said Mickey, giving Lixella a judgmental glance.

Mickey and Nym made their way through the parlor door. Lixella stood back for a second, her hands balled into fists.

"Kill him" she hissed, "I'm going to murder him in his sleep, I swear to god."

"Wow" said Draco, "I don't think I've ever seen you shut up for anyone."

"what are the consequences of murder?" Lixella asked while glaring at the parlor door.

"Oh you know just prison, maybe the dementor's kiss, perhaps even death"

"Nope, that still isn't enough to stop me. I'm going to stab him, Draco, I'm going to just stab that boy."

"Wow…stabbing? Not even a killing curse?" He had to admit, seeing Lixella this worked up was a bit amusing.

"Nope" she replied, "I don't want to give him the _pleasure_ of a quick death…I want to hear screaming."

"I swear, sometimes you make me think I'm dating my aunt"

Lixella looked at him in disgust, she despised Draco's aunt Bellatrix.

"disturbing…" she said

"Yeah, it is, so stop being a mad woman"

The two of them walked into the parlor, and took a seat in two separate chairs. Nym and Mickey were seated on a couch opposite them. Nym was hastily running her fingers through Mickeys hair, trying to fix it's bushiness. Lixella just sat, her stomach in knots, wanting to hit Mickey with every passing second. Draco simply observed, half amused by the level of rage Lixella was reaching. He wasn't sure if he liked Mickey Mageling, yet. The boy certainly had some terrible qualities to him, but Draco had to give him credit. He'd never known anyone that could shut Lixella up in one sentence.

"seeing as it _is_ Halloween, we must have something to do?" said Mickey, "or do you not celebrate Halloween, Lixella."

Lixella took a deep breath and prepared herself for ridicule, "and just why wouldn't I celebrate Halloween, Mageling?"

"I just figured it was a year round thing for you" he said in a polite tone.

Lixella shot up out of her chair, removed her wand, and pointed it between Mickey's eyes.

"Lixella, No!" Nym shouted, "Mickey, back off…I told you to behave yourself."

"yeah, Mageling…listen to your girlfriend." Lixella said through gritted teeth

"Oh fine, yes, I'll contain myself" he said

Lixella put her wand back into it's holder, and sat back down. Containing her hatred for Mickey was proving to be very difficult. It didn't help that Nym was all over him every few seconds. Watching the two of them act like lovers was very awkward for Lixella. It was as if everything she'd understood about the two of them, was shattering before her eyes. Mickey would never be worthy of her best friend. In her eyes, Nym deserved someone better than him.

"But, about Halloween" Nym said, "Lixella has an interesting idea."

"Oh, does she really?" Mickey asked

"go on, Lixella, tell him why we're all here." said Nym

Lixella explained her family's past to Mickey. Everything from the banshees, to the resurrection book, and finally to her connections with Aileen.

"So, you see" said Lixella, pointing to the map, "I have to find the woodlings. They have answers, and I need them. I figured that Halloween would be a perfect time to go see them."

"Intriguing" Mickey said, a hand placed to his chin in curiosity, "so, we'll be spending the night creature hunting?"

"Well, yes…" Lixella stated, "If Nym is okay with it?"

Nym nodded, "it sounds like an adventure…and I love adventures!"

"so, no oppositions?" Lixella asked to Mickey and Draco.

"It's better than what I _could_ be doing" said Draco. He shuddered, thinking of spending Halloween at his house, doing Voldemort's dirty work.

"Why not?" Mickey stated.

"Wonderful" said Lixella, "get dressed up everybody, we're going to need to look extra nice for our introductions."

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><p>So, next chapter will be interesting...no spoilers, but I will say that Halloween is going to be fun to write about ^_^<p>

Thank you for reading, please leave me a review!

reviewing the past reviews:

xOpheliacx: Thank you so much! I can't believe you got through both stories so quickly...I hope that this one doesn't disappoint ^_^

DizzyPotter: Thank you for not exploding (unlike lixella's relatives!)! I hope this chapter helps keep you in one piece!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: MARCHING OOOOOOOOOOON! lol

RaineAmorial: so here's Mickey, tell me what you think of him!

altissimorangerocks: Aw, thank you! see I think they're really cute, but I've always thought that was because I came up with Lixella. I do, however, feel like I make them too cheesy at times XD

thank you for all the support, I love having so many wonderful readers, please send me a review! see you guys in parchment 9 :3


	9. Parchment 9: Imposter in White

Parchment 9 is here! Now we'll finally find out about the woodlings, yay!

I would like to thank you guys for reading

also, thank you to SeSsYlOvEr2956 and fayette13 for the favorites

Also a big thanks to fayette13, DizzyPotter, xXMizz Alec VolturiXx, xOpheliacx, and RaineAmorial for their lovely reviews ^_^

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 9: Imposter in White

The grandfather clock downstairs chimed 6 times, signaling 6 o'clock at night. The sun had gone down in the distance, leaving only the deep black nighttime sky. The stars twinkled, giving off one last ray of brightness for the world. And the moon shown, nearly full, basking the Duskwood Estate in a dim glow.

"Jesus!" Nym shouted from the bottom of the stairs, "you take forever, Lixella."

" Perhaps she's trying to dig out normal clothing in that closet of her's" muttered Mageling, avoiding Nym's harsh glare.

"I dunno why you guys keep yelling" Draco said, he had seated himself in a chair, "She said that it was going to be a while."

"It's 6 o'clock, we've got to get going….Lixella!" Nym shouted.

Just then, a small object rolled down the stairs. It bounced down each step, tumbling and twirling. Nym stopped it with her foot, leaned down, and picked it up. It was the lantern of darkness, the one that could mimic moonlight. Lixella came sprinting down the stairs, her arms out in front of her. "I didn't drop it!" she yelled in a hurried tone, "Is it okay?"

"My god…" Nym stated breathless, staring at Lixella's outfit, "you look like a ghost!"

Lixella shot her a glare, and took the lantern back. She did look very pale in the attire she'd chosen. Her black hair had been pinned up halfway. She wore a flowing white Victorian gown. Nym had never seen her in white before, it made her look like some kind of ice queen. The most interesting part of this outfit, however, was the choker that she wore around her neck. It was a gold metal choker, that elegantly grasped around her neck, with a decorated onyx gem hanging from the front. It looked familiar to Nym, as if she had seen it before.

"Hey…" Nym exclaimed, "that's from one of the journals!"

"It's the necklace that the woodlings gave Aileen, after she killed the Basilisk." said Lixella, she received a funny stare from everyone.

"So, you're going demon hunting, in costume?" asked Mickey slyly

"yes" Lixella hissed, "I'm dressed like Aileen, that way they can recognize me."

"I dunno" Draco said, studying her outfit, "I think I preferred the pajamas you had on when I first got here!" Lixella nudged him in the stomach. "Ouch!" he exclaimed, "really? Can you blame me for that one? It's not like I had much of a choice, what with you standing there in your underwear!"

"Lixella, in her underwear?" said Mickey, "Well, Cruxshade, it sounds like you've finally realized that no clothing can possibly look….I'm sorry!" he yelped as Nym punched him hard in the stomach. "Girls…" he said to Draco.

"Seriously.." Draco replied, "so sensitive"

Lixella and Nym both shook their heads. It was terribly strange to the two of them, how similar their boyfriends were. Nym never, in her craziest thoughts, would have pictured herself dating a guy like Mickey. Unlike Lixella, Nym didn't need an outlet for her stress and anger. She was quite good at beating people up, or just shrugging things off. The reason she liked Mickey was because he had sense. She knew that Lixella would never be able to see it, for it was only during small moments that Mickey would let himself go. He, in secret, had a hard time with doubting himself. He wasn't ever really sure that he was doing things correctly. This was where Nym came in, she was that small shove that he needed. She pushed him forward, and he pulled her back from getting too wrapped up in her adventurous side.

Without a wall to stop her, Nym would become a reckless force, mowing down anything in her path. Lixella had been able to stop Nym, until she moved away. Once Lixella left, Nym became reckless once more, she got herself into so much trouble, that she nearly broke down from the stress. It was at this time, that Mickey became her wall. The truth was that he had admired her since first year, but it would've taken veritaserum for him to admit to this. The two of them were a nice balance for each other, they always had been.

Lixella walked into the parlor, and began copying the silver map. She placed a candle into the lantern, and lit it with her wand. They all headed out of the doorway. The night air was crisp and cold. Lixella turned around and summoned her house key. She then locked the door, and swallowed the key whole.

"D-did you just swallow your house key?" asked Draco, puzzled.

"Of course I did" said Lixella, "that way no one can get into the house. Doesn't your house have an edible key?"

"No" said Draco, staring at the key hole, "We don't need one, remember?"

"Oh…" Lixella said.

For some strange reason, in the midst of everything, she kept forgetting about England. It had not occurred to her, in quite some time, that Draco's house was death eater headquarters. She thought for a second of what that must be like; To be living at the center of Voldemort's ever-rising empire. Lixella shuddered a bit, picturing having Voldemort as a constant presence in her house. She wasn't sure how Draco could handle it. She knew, for sure, that if she was trapped in a house with Voldemort, she would go crazy.

They all made their way off of the porch, and headed towards the dark forest edge. Eventually the light from the driveway faded into black night. Lixella held the lantern in front of them, the light from the candle gave her face a dim blue glow. The others removed their wands, ready to fight off anything that could attack them. Nym held the folded map in one hand, glancing down at it every few seconds. The trees grew taller around them, becoming closer as they moved deeper into the forest.

They, eventually, reached a spot where the trees began to dot the hillside. A large valley was visible ahead, it dipped downward, towards a large darkened pond. Nym stared down at the map, trying to find their location.

"Lixella" she said, map in hand, "it says that we have to go without light, from this point on. As we get closer, it's going to get darker."

"Yeah" Lixella whispered, she hated the dark, "It has to be dark. The woodlings are blind in any kind of man-made light. They won't approach us if they know we're day-walkers."

Lixella opened the lantern door, and with heavy breath, and a nervous stomach, she blew out the candle. The darkness engulfed them suddenly, Lixella tried to gulp back her fears. She had always been afraid of the dark, ever since she was small. There was something about not being able to see that shot fear into her core. A wolf howled in the distance. Lixella gasped, and involuntarily grabbed Draco's hand. He merely chuckled, and pulled her a bit closer.

"Are you afraid of the dark, Cruxshade?" asked Mickey from behind her.

"Please, Mageling…that's ridiculous…only children are afraid of the dark." Lixella said, glancing around her "Scared…really…so stupid."

"Be lucky you aren't in the forbidden forest" said Draco, flashing back to his detention with Hagrid in his first year at Hogwarts. "That place is full of terrible monsters."

"Does this forest have monsters?" asked Nym excitedly.

"N-no…no of course not!" Lixella exclaimed.

"I thought you said there was a basilisk" said Mickey with a smirk.

"Sh-shut up…Mageling" cursed Lixella.

They all kept fairly close to each other. Lixella held onto Draco's hand, the lantern idle at her side. After a few minutes her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness. She was less scared now that she could see. However, it did not help that there were shifting black shapes in the distance. Lixella had never seen the woodlings before, so she wasn't sure how to identify them. For all she knew, they could just be large black masses. Nym kept her eyes on the map, tracking their movements.

"We should be there by now" said Nym, "I don't understand. We've passed the pond, and the meadows…according to the map we should…"

Nym was cut off by a strange high pitched howl. They all began looking around, holding their wands out for battle. Then, suddenly, a large shadowy figure came walking towards them. It was a strange figure, Lixella couldn't tell if it was solid. It seemed to sway with the wind, leaving traces of black mist in it's pathway. The figure was tall, with a feminine walk. Lixella couldn't make out a face, but there seemed to be glowing blue eyes from beneath a pointed hood.

The figure walked up to the group, holding a ball of fire in one hand. She began speaking in a strange language that none of them understood. It sounded like a series of whispers. In fact, Lixella wasn't hearing it with her ears, she was hearing it in her head. The figure stood, unsure of how to communicate with them. She studied them closely, her glowing eyes peering across the group, until they stopped on Lixella. The figure walked up to Lixella, extending a shadowy hand; which she touched to Aileen's choker.

"_Aileen?_" Lixella suddenly understood the figure, "_You are not Aileen!_"

The figure snatched her hand away from the chocker, and gave a shrill cry. Suddenly, several other figures emerged from the trees and bushes. Some of them were engulfed in flames, ready to fight. They circled the group, completely surrounding them.

"Lixella!" shouted Draco, "What did she say?"

"They know I'm not Aileen. I think they're angry" she said

"Oh, really?" spat Mickey, "What gave it away? Was it the fact that these things are on fire! Expel…"

"No! Mickey..." Lixella shouted, grabbing his arm, "don't shoot them…it'll only make things worse!"

She turned to the original woodling, and concentrated on speaking banshee. It was all she had, hopefully, they would understand her.

"_Who are you?_" demanded the woodling

"_My name is Lixella Cruxshade_" said Lixella in banshee, "_My mother was Altria Duskwood. Please, don't hurt us, I need your help!_"

"_That isn't your necklace, Daywalker_" shouted the Woodling, "_Where did you get it?_"

"_I'm the reincarnation of Aileen the banshee queen!_" said Lixella, "_This necklace was reserved for me. Please, lower your guard, I have to resurrect my sisters!_"

The woodling made a motion, and the others put out their fire.

"_Aileen was a banshee_" the woodling studied Lixella, "_you are not a banshee, but you talk like one. You do resemble Aileen. How can I know you are truly her, come back from the dead?"_

"_Just look at my eyes_" Lixella said.

The woodling grabbed her chin, and stared into Lixella's purple eyes.

"_Illunia_" the woodling muttered, "_back off, everyone. These are friends!_"

The woodlings backed away, retreating into the forest, disappearing into the dark.

"_I am Katcha._" the woodling pointed to herself, "_It is wonderful to see you again, Aileen._"

"_Thank you, Katcha_" said Lixella, sighing in relief, "_I need questions answered. Can you help me?_"

Katcha motioned for them to follow her. They were lead through a grove, and eventually into a cave, covered by hanging ivy. The stone walls of the cave glistened from the lake water and moisture in the air. They cast a dim white glow around everyone. Deeper and deeper into the cave they traveled, until they emerged on the other side. Lixella had never seen this part of the forest before. Everything was suddenly warmer, as opposed to the cold fall chill. There was a strange sort of spirit to this grove they had entered. The trees seemed a bit greener than usual, and the water sparkled with a bit more grace. They made their way through the entrance. The branches created spots of moonlight on their faces.

Katcha walked over to a circle of woodlings, seated around an ornate well. She got the attention of one of them. This particular woodligng had glowing green eyes, the rest had blue. She stood up and headed over to the group, studying them.

"Hello" the voice echoed in Lixella's head, in perfect English. "My name is Eva, Katcha says you are Aileen."

"It's nice to meet you" said Lixella, "I'm glad you speak English. I am Lixella, these are my friends Draco, Nym, and Mickey. I need your help, with resurrecting my sisters."

"Come, sit down" echoed Eva's voice.

Eva walked back to her seat, and motioned for them to sit as well.

"This is so weird" muttered Draco

"This is so cool!" squeaked Nym

"Eh…" Mickey shrugged

They all sat around the ornate well. It was made of stone, and covered in moss. The water inside was a shimmering bright blue, and reflected the moon perfectly.

"I need to know where the banshees are buried" said Lixella

"They're buried where all of your family is buried" said Eva, puzzled, "didn't you know that?"

"No" Lixella said in shock, "the crypt? We haven't laid anyone in the crypt for ages. I had no idea. I apologize, my family has left me with little to go off of."

"That is alright" said Eva, "In dark times like these, we must all keep our own secrets. What else do you need, Lixella?"

"I'm not sure…" Lixella pondered

"soul purification" said Nym, "also soul removal, and transfer. More specifically…" Nym removed _The Book of Resurrection_ from her bag. "It says here that we need a vessel to transfer the souls in…what exactly do we use? A person? An object?"

"The lantern" said Eva, pointing to the Lantern of Darkness. "It was created by the banshees, to transfer souls from the body, for purification."

"Excellent!" said Lixella, "and what about soul removal, how do I do that?"

"That" said Eva, staring at the well, "is very complicated. Lixella, in order to be able to remove a soul, you must first have the banshee's blessing."

"What is that, exactly?" Lixella asked reluctantly

"The banshee's have a right of passage, when they first learn to extract a soul." said Eva, "This mission is supposed to teach the younger banshees what a soul is, and how precious it is to fragile mortal life. You, Lixella, are going to have to take the soul of something alive."

"take…alive?" Lixella stared at Eva in shock, "But, I thought banshees took the souls of the dead? Taking the souls of the living…that's like a dementor!"

"Yes" replied Eva, "but you have to take the soul of a living thing, in order to understand how precious it is. Only then will you be able to know the consequences of taking from the living."

Lixella stared into the blue water. She knew that she would have to delve into dark magic, but she'd never imagined stealing someone's living soul. The task weighed heavy on her. However, if she didn't go through with it, she would be breaking her promise to Cordellia. Then, Lixella realized that Cordellia had been through this as well. If Cordellia could accomplish this terrible job, then Lixella was confident that she could too. She took a deep breath in, and nodded to Eva.

"how do I do it?" asked Lixella, "how do I go about extracting a soul?"

Eva simply nodded, and whispered to a nearby woodling. The woodling left and returned later, carrying a small crystal vial. The vial was harshly carved out of blue glass. Inside of it sat some kind of dark unidentifiable liquid. Eva removed the glass stopper at the top, and poured a shimmering purple liquid into the well. The liquid swirled in the water, creating clouds of dark purple haze. She then looked up to Lixella with her glowing green eyes.

"Lixella Cruxshade" her voice echoed, "I can give you the ability to remove a soul. However, this offer requires payment. In return for giving you this, I would like for you to extract the soul of a terrible monster. In order to prove to us that you're worthy of this responsibility, you must first prove that you have Aileen's courage. When you first came to us, as Aileen, you killed the basilisk. Now, Lixella Cruxshade, I must call upon you once again, to slay a beast that plagues our woods. It has been spending many months here, gnawing on the helpless. It is a werewolf, he has lingered here for quite some time, and we wish him gone. All you need to do is extract his soul. Without it, he will have no drive to continue eating the creatures of the forest, or the humans that pass through. Be warned, this task isn't an easy one, and has caused others to go mad. Do you accept, Lixella?"

Lixella took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and nodded. Eva then removed a long and skinny blade from her pouch.

"Your dominant hand, Please" said Eva.

Lixella stared at her with wide eyes, scared of what the blade was for. She choked down her fear, and began lifting her right arm. That is, until Draco grabbed her wrist.

"You are _not_ cutting off her hand" he said forcefully, thinking of Wormtail.

"Blood is needed to sign the contract" Eva said, "she cannot continue on if she refuses to give something up. After all, she will be taking something important from others. Therefore, she must give something important in return. In this case, she must sacrifice her own blood."

"It's okay, Draco" Lixella said.

She put her left hand over his, and nodded in reassurance. He sighed and removed his hand from her wrist. Lixella then held out her right arm. She couldn't help but notice how similar this was to getting a dark mark. However, this time, it was her right arm, instead of her left. Eva touched the blade to Lixella's open palm, and sliced a clean cut into it. Lixella winced in pain. Crimson blood began seeping out of the wound.

Just as the bleeding started, Eva took Lixella's hand, and plunged it into the murky well water. The sensation was overwhelming. Unlike a curse mark, which felt like needles, this was a tingling feeling. It was as if something was crawling through her veins. It wasn't enough pain to cause screaming, but Lixella felt warm tears on her cheeks. Then, the purple liquid began moving towards her hand, as if the cut was soaking it in. Lixella watched in fear and amazement, as the veins in her arm became visible.

Eva let go of her arm, and held it up over the water. Through the wet skin, were visible veins. It was as if her skin had become more translucent, and her veins had turned black. Lixella turned her hand over, to reveal her wounded palm. The cut now resembled a black inked line, on crumpled parchment. Lixella winced in pain once more as her right hand twitched.

"I have just bestowed upon you, the ability to extract a soul. Use only that hand, when you reach in to grab it." said Eva, "Also, remember to purify the soul before using it to resurrect the banshees. It will have to be a powerful soul, in order for you to resurrect the whole clan. The white willow tree, outside of your home shall help you with that."

"How do I use it?" Lixella asked

"This I am unsure of this" said Eva, "You must make a strong connection with it's spirit. We woodlings cannot read the spirit of that tree. It's spirit has belonged to the banshees since the beginning of it's existence."

"Thank you, Eva" Lixella said, nodding as she studied her arm.

"Thank You, Lixella, reincarnation of Aileen. I wish you luck, and hope to see the banshees roaming these woods once again." Eva then stood up, the others copied her. She gave them a nod, and faded into the dark forest behind her.

Lixella held her right arm out in front of her. It was sore, as if she'd just gotten hit. She studied the blackened veins, beneath her nearly translucent skin. There seemed to be a strange sensation coming from her arm. It was almost like she could feel the veins pumping blood. She could feel her body working to keep her alive.

"Dear god!" cursed Draco "you look diseased. What did she do to you?"

"I dunno" said Lixella, "it didn't hurt as much as I thought."

"She cut your hand open" argued Draco

"It was just a scratch" Lixella said

"Wow" Nym was staring at Lixella's arm in shock, "so, do you think you can do it?"

"What?" Lixella asked

"You know" Nym muttered, "kill that werewolf."

"oh…" Lixella said, staring once more at her arm.

She had almost forgotten about the werewolf.

"With any luck" said Mickey, "you'll get bitten. Then you won't have to worry about looking like a freak with a blackened…ouch!"

Nym raised her fist at him once more, threatening to punch him again.

"Behave" she said through gritted teeth.

"How's about I just extract _your_ soul, mageling" said Lixella, holding her right hand towards him, "oh…wait, there was never a soul there to begin with. Black hearted bastard!"

"Please, Cruxshade, you're the only one with blackened organs around here" said Mickey, staring at her outstretched arm.

"Whatever, Mageling" Lixella said, swallowing her words. She began walking off.

They all headed back towards the house. Lixella was very happy to be able to light the lantern again. It was strange for her to think that this lantern had more than one use. Not only did it mimic the moonlight, it also transported souls. Truly, whoever made it, knew what it was necessary for.

"So, how are we going to find this werewolf?" asked Nym

"You want to go tonight?" Lixella asked in shock

"Yes" Nym nodded, "tomorrow will be a full moon. It's better that we go now, instead of when the werewolf could actually transform."

"But, then it won't be a werewolf" said Draco, "it'll just look like a person. How can we identify them, If they just look like a regular person?"

"These woods are almost always empty" said Mickey, "trust me, I live on the other side of them. Hardly anyone ever comes here. If there was someone just roaming around, without protection, we could tell if they were a werewolf. Muggles don't travel through the woods alone, at night. "

"Not to mention that he must have acquired some interesting tastes here" said Lixella, "Eva mentioned that he'd been plaguing the forest. That can only mean that he's been feeding on something, most likely people."

"I still say we look for him tonight" said Nym, "it sounds like a wonderful way to spend a birthday!"

"Yeah" muttered Draco, "getting mauled by a werewolf, that's exactly how I spend my holidays. Very relaxing!"

"well" said Lixella, stopping and turning to face everyone, "are you all up for werewolf hunting, tonight?"

She held the lantern in front of her. It's light sent a dim blue glow upon everyone. They all stared at each other in silence. Nym nodded her head, she was completely sure of herself.

"I have no choice, then" said Mickey, "I'll be going, in case Nym needs protection. I can't have you dying on your birthday."

Lixella turned to Draco, he stared at her for a second, unsure of himself. Eventually, he nodded and said "yeah, I'll go".

"You all are far too courageous" said Lixella, "I really don't want to go werewolf hunting at all. But, seeing as I have no choice in the matter…I suppose there's no time like the present."

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><p>yaaaay...werewolf hunting! SOMEONE CALL VANHELSING! XD I adore that movie<p>

Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it! Please send me a review, or a comment, it makes me smile when I hear from you guys ^_^

Reviewing the reviews:

fayette13: I just want to tell you that this review made me tear up a bit. I wasn't crying! But, it was so sweet...thank you for sending me such a wonderful review! I'm going to try to make the second half of this story more about Draco, since the first half is very much about Lixella.

DizzyPotter: you can read this on your phone? gosh, my phone must be really out of date then!and yeah...the part about his aunt was disturbing!

xOpheliacX: I know right...thank you! I love stories that have just loads of character development! I also love one-shots, but prefer the full effect!

RaineAmorial: Yes, i agree...he acts just like Draco from years one through 4...i feel like Draco just disappeared in year 5. Anyways, Cordellia won't be back until after they resurrect the American banshees. Sorry, but it's a good reason to stick around ^_^

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Mickey is a hateful guy!

Thank you for your wonderful reviews! I hope to hear from everyone soon!


	10. Parchment 10: Monster Hunting

Parchment 10! woo hoo, I feel like I need another celebration of getting to 10.

Well, this chapter is pretty action packed, so i hope you all enjoy!

Thank you for reading, and leave me a review!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 10: Monster Hunting

They returned to the house, to gather supplies, and change clothing. Lixella was more than happy to finally get out of the white dress. As much as she loved dresses, this was not a mission that called for one. Instead she put on clothing that would let her move. She couldn't help but go for the badass monster hunter look. It seemed more fitting, to go monster hunting in tall black combat boots. Once again, it took forever for her to put her outfit together.

"Dear god" said Nym, constantly watching the grandfather clock, "we're losing moonlight!"

"She's probably taking forever trying to find something to wear, again" said Mickey in a smug voice.

Lixella took her time walking down the stairs. Not because of her shoes, but because she loved making an entrance. When she finally go to the top of the lower staircase, she stopped for a second. Nym fell to the ground laughing, as Lixella picked up an umbrella, and posed.

"Wha…what are you doing?" asked Nym, gasping for air

"being a werewolf hunter" said Lixella, she held the umbrella in the air, "This is my silver bullet filled pistol!"

Lixella marched down the stairs, holding the umbrella like a gun. She paused at the bottom of the stairs, and pointed the umbrella to Mickey. Draco began laughing as well, shaking his head at her ridiculous gesture.

"you'll pay for your terrible crimes against humanity…werewolf!" said Lixella, pretending to load and cock the gun.

"really, Lixella?" Mickey asked, holding back laughter

"My name isn't Lixella" she said as she put the gun against her shoulder, staring into the distance, "My name…is Vanhelsing. Legendary monster hunter! And you're going down!" She raised the pretend gun to his face, ready to fire. Just as she did, a ladle knocked the umbrella from her hands. Nym stared at her, standing in front of Mickey, wielding her ladle like a sword.

"I can't let you do that, Vanhelsing" said Nym dramatically, grinning a bit, "You see…I'm in love with this werewolf. So, you can't kill him!"

"Betrayal!" shouted Lixella, picking up the umbrella, wielding it like a sword, "I knew you'd turn on me one day. But I never imagined you would leave me for a monster!"

The two of them began dueling as if they were locked in a sword fight. Lixella fenced with Nym, moving up the stairs. Nym got in a few good swings, nearly hitting Lixella's feet. Lixella jumped over her low attack, and made her way across the foyer. The two of them were laughing like maniacs. Nym chased her, batting away Lixella's attacks. They ended up on the top of the stairs. Lixella ducked as Nym swiped towards her. She stood back up, and poked Nym in the stomach. Nym began to fall over, dramatically holding her stomach, before pretending to die. Lixella put one foot on Nym's stomach, raising her umbrella triumphantly.

"Aha!" she cried, "I am Vanhelsing…greatest monster hunter to ever live! No one shall bring me down!"

She held the umbrella high in the air, staring up in victory. Then, a broom handle knocked the umbrella from her hand. She turned around to find Draco wielding a broom, smirking at her.

"I can't let you do that, Vanhelsing" he said, "I can't let your head get any bigger!"

"Well, if it isn't my arch nemisis…"said Lixella, slowly backing away, "Count Dracula…I should've known that you'd turn up! Come to save your wolf friend?"

"No, just come to kick your arse, of course" said Draco.

"of course…" said Lixella, returning his smirk.

He jabbed the broom handle towards her, Lixella jumped backwards, falling to the ground. She stared at him in shock for a second. He began charging towards her, Lixella grabbed the umbrella from the floor, blocking his attack just in time. She pushed him away, and jumped to her feet. They began fencing on the top of the staircase. Lixella took a few good jabs towards him, but was blocked every time. She had to admit, Draco was much better at sword fighting than she had thought he'd be.

"It seems we're equally matched, Dracula!" said Lixella, crossing her umbrella with his broom handle.

"It would appear so…Vanhelsing…" he replied, "but you can't fight forever. I, however, can!"

He spun around, trying to knock her off of her feet. Lixella jumped, but lost her footing on the way down. She fumbled and dropped the umbrella, which rolled down the staircase. It was stopped by the railing at the top of the lower stairs. She stared back at Draco with wide eyes, waiting for his next move. She then got up and began running towards her umbrella. Just as she was about to reach for it, a hand grabbed her wrist. He pulled her back, spun her around, and pinned her against the top railing, overlooking the foyer.

Lixella stared into his eyes. They were inches apart from each other's faces. He laughed, and she could smell the effects of his spearmint toothpaste. Lixella didn't bother glancing around for an escape. She knew that she had been defeated.

"You're mine now, Vanhelsing" he said with a smirk.

His face moved down to the crook of her neck. She could feel him breathing. Her heart began racing. She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, turning them a light pink. He touched his lips to her neck, kissing it lightly.

"We have an _actual_ werewolf to kill, ya know?" shouted Mickey from the bottom of the stairs.

Nym shot up off of the floor, "Dammit Mickey! I was about to make a huge comeback from the dead!" she shouted.

Lixella was still staring up at Draco. "until we meet again, Dracula" she said as she grabbed the back of his head, and pulled him in to kiss her.

"Okay you guys" said Nym as she descended the staircase, "we _do_ have a job to do"

"ugh" Lixella grunted, "Buzz kill!"

They all put away their imaginary weaponry. Then, they headed back out into the dark forest. Once more, the house lights disappeared, leaving only darkness around them. Lixella held the lantern in front of her, creating a blue glow on the scenery around them. They walked idly through the woods, watching their surroundings for movement.

"Do we have any idea where this werewolf is?" asked Nym

"No" said Lixella, "I guess that would've been a good question to ask."

"Just a bit…"muttered Mickey

"Well, that wolf call from earlier came from over here" said Lixella

"it wouldn't howl tonight, though" said Draco, "it isn't a full moon. So he's not transformed, right?"

"oh…yeah" said Lixella.

She stared at her outstretched hand, holding the lantern up. She still wasn't over the newly blackened veins in her arm. Now, both of her arms were marked with dark magic. It just reminded her, once more, that she had little control over what happened to her. She began thinking about the banshees, about Cordellia. She was somewhere in England, waiting for Lixella to return with her resurrected sisters. Then, her mind moved to Voldemort, and how she couldn't let him use the banshees in his war. Lixella was on the wrong side, and she didn't know what to do about it.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a moving shadow. It had crossed between two trees up ahead. She raised the lantern a bit, trying to get more light. The others were distracted, each looking in a different direction. Lixella was fixated on the dark shape in the distance. It was just a mass of something, huddled on the ground. "What the…?" she whispered, squinting her eyes. The black mass suddenly stood up, and revealed the form of a person. The outline looked familiar. Lixella could barely make out it's faint features. The figure turned to look at them. It's face shadowed by darkness. She lowered the lantern, letting the moonlight shine down. As she did, she noticed a jaw line, covered in blood. The person smiled, wiping blood from their mouth. Suddenly, they began sprinting away. Lixella gasped, and ran after it, into the thick dark woods.

"Lixella" Draco called out, he began running after her.

He hadn't noticed that she was gone. Now, it was too late, she had run far ahead of them. Nym and Mickey were running close behind him. They followed her distant form for a good couple of yards. Then, she disappeared between the trees. They all stopped, glancing around the forest. Draco began pacing, looking around in every direction, turning towards every tree. She was nowhere to be seen. Lixella was out there on her own, chasing a werewolf.

"Lixella!" he shouted to nothing

Lixella couldn't hear him, she was far ahead. The shadowed figure was darting through the trees. He turned sharply around bushes, and ducked behind branches. She ran after him, pushing away branches, the wood scratched at her skin. Lixella was keeping up with him, until she came to a clearing. The trees had disappeared, and the hills were lined with large rock formations. Lixella looked around for the figure, turning in every direction. There was nothing around but empty hillside.

She listened closely for any noises. Suddenly, she heard low dark laughing. Lixella shot around, the lantern stretched out in front of her. Then, she saw it, the strong jaw line, and messy black hair. His arms were strong, with hands that were covered in blood. His eyes were a piercing shade of grey. She dropped the lantern to the ground in shock. Her eyes would not move from his stare. She could not believe that he was standing in front of her, that _he_ was the werewolf.

"Lixy…baby" said Jonny with a bloodstained smile, "Long time no see. How are you?"

Lixella couldn't respond, she was frozen in fear. It didn't' make sense, that he was there, that she had to kill _him_. Her heart began racing, images of him beating her flashed through her mind. Her entire body locked up, unable to move a single limb. He stepped a bit closer to her, into the lantern light. As he did, his features became more wolf-like. His wild black hair began growing on his face, and his cheek bones became more prominent. He smiled a cynical smile, staring at Lixella with wild grey eyes.

"Speechless, eh?' he asked, "I suppose you would be, considering that I haven't seen you since it happened."

"how?" Lixella was able to mutter only that one word.

"Oh, Lixy-darling" he said, moving ever closer to her, "you've missed so much. I got bitten last summer. My parent's disowned me, the werewolves took me in. Nice bunch of guys, really big supporters of you-know-who. I've been hunting human flesh ever since."

He smiled, licking his top teeth. Lixella swallowed hard, wincing at the mention of human flesh. Her legs, no matter how much she willed them, wouldn't move. Fear had paralyzed every part of her body. Jonny finally stood right in front of her, his chest nearly against hers. She stared up at him, her lower lip quivering. His pale grey eyes were locked on her. She could usually hide her fear well, but she had never experienced this level of fear before, not even around Voldemort. Jonny knew that he had complete control over her.

"I bet you'd taste lovely" he said, noticing a cut on her cheek from a thorn bush. He leaned down, barring his white fanged teeth. He kissed the cut on her cheek, Lixella's eyes began to water. He returned to his upright stance, licking her blood from his lips. "You _do_ taste lovely" he snarled in a low voice, "how's about it, babe, you wanna join me?" He asked, grabbing her chin with his hand.

Lixella shook her head, her eyes were watering. Tears were forming. Jonny's expression changed from mad, to rage. "What's wrong, Lixy" he asked in an angry tone, "you gonna leave me again?"

He lifted his fist, and punched her in the cheek. Warm blood began trickling out of her bashed lip, and nose. Lixella began crying, hyperventilating from her fear. The images of him beating her to an inch of her life, raced through her mind. She tried to form words, tried to tell him to stop, but she could only sob. "you gonna disown me too?" he shouted, and punched her once more. She fell to the ground from the force of his strength. She couldn't stop crying, she was helpless. It was humiliating, the amount of control he had over her because of fear. Lixella hated being controlled by fear, she had such strong will, but Jonny made her seem like a weakling.

He leaned down, and picked up the lantern, letting the simulated moonlight dance across his face. As it did, his features turned into almost completely wolf-like. His nose became a wolf snout, making his fanged teeth protrude outward. He began snarling at her, Lixella whimpered in fear. Suddenly, her hand involuntarily grabbed her wand, and shot a spell at him. Jonny was pushed back, toppling to the ground. She suddenly regained the feeling in her legs, and began running. Jonny shot back up, and gave a good long howl. He looked around for Lixella, but she had ducked behind a rock.

"_Reducto_" Lixella yelled, casting around the rock.

A space next to Jonny exploded, unearthing the dirt and leaving a crater. Jonny toppled to the ground. Lixella saw her opening, and darted to a bush a few feet away. She peeked over the top of it. Jonny was pushing himself off of the ground, sniffing around for her. His posture had become more hunched, and his hands now had sharp nails on them.

"_Stupefy_" Lixella shouted, sending Jonny back to the ground.

She crouched behind the bush again, her eyes darted around. She had to find a way to escape. Then, she heard low snarling from above her. She peered up, Jonny was towering over the bush. Then, he pounced in front of her. Lixella let out a long high pitched scream. Jonny began charging at her. She tripped as she struggled to get up. He had grabbed onto her ankle. Lixella wriggled around, trying to free herself. He yanked her closer, she kicked him in the face. Once she was free, Lixella began running. Jonny was close behind her, snarling and growling. Lixella raced back through the forest, darting through the trees, looking for another hiding spot.

She ducked behind a tree. She could feel tears pouring from her eyes. They fell down her cheeks, until they mixed with the blood on her face. The sound of snapping twigs, and crunching leaves became evident. Someone was headed towards her. Lixella couldn't move. It was hopeless, she was alone and paralyzed. The sounds got closer, Lixella covered her blood stained face with her hands, awaiting her terrible fate.

"God dammit" said a voice in front of her.

She felt a pair of arms wrap around her, hugging her huddled body. She moved her hands down past her eyes, keeping her face covered. Draco sat crouched in front of her, his face filled with shock and anger. He noticed how red her eyes were. She had been crying, quite hard from their amount of puffiness. The rest of her face was covered by her hands. He hoped that she wasn't mauled by something.

"Lixella, darling…"he said in a soft voice, "move your hands."

He reached up, and grabbed her wrists, gently pulling them away from her face. She hadn't been mauled, but she had been beaten. Something terrible began boiling inside of him, as he looked at her beaten face. Her jaw was red and covered in blood. Her face was wet from her tears. A bruise had formed on her cheek. Someone had beaten her up, and from the looks of it, she was helpless. Draco pulled her into a hug, holding her close. He stared coldly in front of him as he held her. He'd never seen Lixella be afraid before, she was quivering and sobbing uncontrollably. Something had hurt her, to the point of paralysis. He knew at least one thing, whatever it was, was about to die.

"Who did this?" he asked sternly

"J-jonny…"Lixella muttered with shaking breath.

He let go of her, kissing her forehead. "stay here" he said. She crouched back against the tree, shaking from her sobs. He stood up, looking around for her attacker. Draco had no clue who this Jonny person was, but he was about to get a beating. Then, a tall black-haired boy emerged from behind a distant tree. His face was covered in dried blood, as were his hands. He was stalking around a few trees nearby, looking around with wild eyes. Draco knew that he had to be Jonny.

"Oh, Lixy-baby" Jonny called out, "I can't find that marvelous lantern of yours. But don't worry, I can at least knock you out, and save you for later!"

Draco's expression became cold an dark. He'd found who he was looking for. He removed his wand, and headed across the clearing, ready to kill. Jonny turned around suddenly, giving Draco a toothy grin. "you Jonny?" he asked in a voice that could freeze an ocean. Jonny stared back at him, studying Draco from head to toe. He smirked, and wiped the blood from his mouth.

"Who wants to know?" he asked with a smirk

"Satan, so he can come drag you back to hell" said Draco, holding an icy stare.

"heh" Jonny chuckled, "I'm him…what do you want, ya little shit?"

Draco walked up to him, his face expressionless, but his eyes filled with hate. He could feel the anger in his core, fueling him. He let it fill him up, then he punched Jonny hard across his jaw. Jonny fell to the ground, holding his nearly broken jaw. He stared up at Draco in shock and anger. Draco towered over him, standing tall, staring down at Jonny with disgust. "Why you little…" Jonny muttered, then he pounced forward, ready to attack.

"_Crucio_" Draco shouted, and a red bolt of light shot to Jonny's chest.

He fell to the ground, writhing in pain, screaming to the skies. He had been hit with the cruciatus curse before, but this one was terrifying. It was as if every cell in his body was being sliced open, and salt was being poured into the open wounds. He screamed so much that he was having trouble breathing. Draco leaned in closer, jabbing the painful curse farther into Jonny's skin.

"Don't you _ever_ fucking touch her again!" he shouted, fueled with rage, "You disgusting unworthy piece of god damn shit! How dare you lay a single hand on her!"

He jabbed the curse in more, bringing Jonny to near suffocation from his screams. Draco had been taught that in order to properly cast an unforgivable curse, you had to mean it. He meant every single flicker of pain, every piercing scream, with complete sincerity. If it was the last thing he did, he was going to make sure that Jonny never even breathed in Lixella's direction, again. Jonny's body began twitching, he could no longer breath. In complete honesty, Draco was ready to let him suffocate.

However, he was interrupted by a shriek and someone grabbing his arm. The cruciatus curse vanished, as he was tackled to the ground. Lixella clung to his chest, pinning him to the ground. She was still shaking from shock. Nym and Mickey were standing behind them, a look of terror on their faces. Nym had found the lantern, and placed it on the ground by Lixella and Draco.

Lixella lifted herself up, her face hovering over Draco's. She was still covered in blood, now with patches of dried tears. Draco looked up at her in disbelief, why had she stopped him from beating Jonny to death?

"Dear god!" shrieked Nym, "Jonny?…how? What happened? What did you _do_?"

Lixella got up off of Draco, and helped him to his feet.

"What happened to you?" Mickey asked to Lixella.

Nym grabbed Lixella's wrist, pulling Lixella behind her.

"Did he do this to you, Lixella?" she asked, her wand raised at Draco

"No!" Lixella shouted, finally finding her voice, "No, he saved me. Nym, put it down!" Nym just stared at Draco in suspicion, "Put it down, Nym….Now!" Lixella shouted.

"For god sake, Nym, lower your wand" said Mickey, "It wasn't him"

Nym lowered her wand and let go of Lixella's wrist. Lixella rushed over to Draco, crashing into his chest. She held him so tightly that it took every muscle in her body. He wrapped his arms around her, kissing the top of her head. He was not going to let anything hurt her like this, ever again.

"I'm sorry" she muttered, "I had to stop you…you looked positively insane, and…he has to be alive. Or else, I'll fail at taking his soul."

She sniffled, wiping the dried blood from her face. She stared at the crimson red streaks that sat on her hands. She couldn't believe that Draco had nearly killed Jonny. It had never occurred to her, how much he loved her. She had to admit, however, that she would've done the same thing.

"Jonny's the werewolf?" asked Nym in shock, "what's he doing here?"

"eating people" said Mickey, "If he's the werewolf, then he's been attacking muggles here for weeks. Must've acquired a taste for human flesh."

"Yeah" said Lixella, she and Draco walked towards them, "he tried to attack me. I couldn't move, I was…I was so scared. I've never been that afraid before. I thought I was done for, then…well, Draco found me. I must've looked pretty busted up because, well, he nearly beat the life out of Jonny."

"you were covered in blood, and shaking with fear" said Draco, "I wasn't going to just let him get away with doing that…not to you!"

Several seconds of silence passed by.

"Thank you" Nym said to Draco, "thank you for saving her. Jonny is her ex boyfriend. He, well, he's beat her to an inch of her life before…I'm not surprised that he tried it again, tonight. So…thanks for saving her, and shutting that bastard the hell up!"

Draco nodded to her, "No problem" he said.

"I guess I can remove his soul now" said Lixella, staring at the ground.

She turned to retrieve the lantern, but it had vanished. She looked around, and noticed that Jonny was gone too. They all realized it at once. Suddenly, there was a howl, and a snarling werewolf, came charging towards them. They all stood, wands ready to attack.

"No!" Lixella shouted

Jonny came charging for them. His teeth barred, and his gaze rabbid. He was ready to attack, ready to rip them apart. Lixella ran towards him, her right arm began twitching. All at once, she realized what she had to do. Jonny leaped in the air, foam flying from his growling mouth. Lixella leaned back as he pounced for her. She reached her arm out, and it went straight into his stomach, into his core. She could feel it, suddenly, it was warm and pulsating. But it was corrupted, shrouded in pain and agony. The corruption burned her, but she grabbed Jonny's soul. Then, with her left hand, she pushed Jonny backwards, sending him flying. He hit the ground hard, skidding and rolling across the green grass. They all watched as his body lay there, lifeless.

Lixella stared at the swirling white sphere in her open palm. It was amazing, holding a soul. It was like being able to hold a heartbeat, one that was warm and inviting. It's light was pure and bright, and it filled Lixella with peace and happiness. She picked up the lantern, opened the thatched door, and gently nudged the soul into it. The soul hovered around the candle, like a moth to a flame. Lixella closed the lantern door, and a lovely white light began shining from it. She then turned to Jonny, who lay motionless on the ground. He lay there with his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping.

"I'm sorry" she said to his lifeless body, "I'm so sorry"

It was devastating, watching him lie there, knowing that he was drained of all drive or ambition. Lixella tried to think it through, make it seem like the situation wasn't so terrible. Try as she did, she couldn't create an excuse in her head. She had to accept that Jonny was gone, forever, and that he could never be helped. She had finally removed his madness, as well as everything else in him.

"We should take him to a hospital" she said, "He's going to be in a coma for…well, forever."

"I'll do it" said Mickey, raising his hand, "I have an aunt that works in Sacred Cross Mental Hospital. She'll know who he is…I can't say his parents will be very pleased, though."

"His parents disowned him, when he got bitten" said Lixella, "I doubt that they'll have a sudden change of heart now that he's soulless."

Mickey kneeled down, and lifted Jonny to his feet. He then turned on the spot, and with a _pop_ he apparated away. Lixella stared down at the lantern, which now contained Jonny's soul. Sitting in that lantern was the essence of life. It was the reason for being alive, and the reason to stay alive. She understood, now, just how precious this small floating ball of light was.

"C'mon" said Draco, taking her empty hand, "let's go home, Lixella."

She nodded, and led Draco and Nym back to her house. She'd reached another milestone in her mission. Everything was coming together. Lixella couldn't help but notice just how terrible resurrection was. She swore that, when she had completed her job, she would never use this power again.

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><p>Happy Parchment 10! I hope you all enjoyed Jonny...and Draco being a total badass!<p>

Thank you for reading, I hope to hear from you ^_^

See you soon! Happy travels!


	11. Parchment 11: Crying on a Roof

Disclaimer: this chapter may or may not contain snogging

probably because I wrote it on valentine's day...it gets a bit steamy

Thank you to everyone for reading this far, and for the support ^_^

thanks to vdp, thorongilanime, xxjaimi122xx, Brdrama94, DayStarAngel, ande Maybelt's fate for the favorites

thanks to fayette13, DizzyPotter, DezziPenn, TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken, Lily, and xXMizz Alec VolturiXx for the reviews

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 11: Crying on a Roof

Draco laid in the queen sized bed, staring over at Lixella, who was asleep. It had been two days since their monster hunt. Her wounds had been cleaned, leaving a few red scratches on her face, and a dark purple bruise. He didn't understand why anyone would want to hurt her. He had gone mad that night, and nearly killed someone. The worst part was, he had not cared if Jonny lived or died. Draco certainly preferred him dead. He thought back to the many times that he'd watched Voldemort harass Lixella. Every single time, he'd wanted to stand up and fight back. Never before, though, had he actually tried to. That night was the first time that he'd snapped.

But, how could he help himself? Surely, anyone else would've done the same thing. If anyone else had found the woman they loved huddled against a tree, beaten and bruised, with blood covering their face; Would they not have sought out the culprit as well? He reached a hand out, and tucked her hair behind her ear. There was something, about the way her jaw line curved into her neck, and then curved up into her shoulder. Even beaten and bruised, she was one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. Draco didn't care anymore, of the consequences, he was never going to let anything hurt her this badly, again.

Lixella winced in her sleep, and halfway opened her eyes. She grabbed onto the sheets, clinging to them tightly. This had been happening periodically throughout the past few nights, which is why Draco hadn't gone to sleep yet.

"Nightmare?" he asked

"I can't get them to go away" she said, half asleep, "every time I close my eyes, he's there."

"come here" he said.

Lixella scooted closer to him, laying her head on his chest. Her hand lay idly by his shoulder. She smelled different from usual, instead of her usual clean scent, she smelled like wet pine trees, and dry soil. Everything about her, that night, seemed out of place. It was strange, seeing her truly terrified. Lixella had always been very headstrong, and constantly voiced her opinions. She'd lied to Voldemort last year, and then told the truth just to protect a house elf, resulting in torture. She had always been such a rebel, who refused to accept fear willingly. However, on that night, she seemed to be an entirely different person. She had been terrified into silence, Jonny had beaten the fight out of her. Voldemort would've been happy to get his hands on someone as mad as Jonny.

"Why did you date him?" Draco said aloud

He hadn't expected to ask the question aloud, but it seemed that it was already out in the open.

"He was…" Lixella tried to put together the correct words. She sat up, pulling her knees towards her chest, and wrapping her arms around them. "He was…everything my grandmother hated" she said, staring out of the window. She peered over to Draco, who was giving her a confused expression. "It's a really long story…" she said, not wanting to elaborate.

"I don't think we're going to sleep anytime soon" he replied, sitting up as well.

Lixella stared out of the window. This was going to be a long explanation, but he deserved to know. However, she did not feel like sitting in the bed any longer. For some odd reason, she suddenly wanted to be outside, surrounded by the cool night air. She pushed the covers off of her, and got up from the bed.

"C'mon" she said, turning to Draco, "I'll tell you a story."

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><p>They both made their way down to the kitchen. It was around 5 a.m., and Lixella was craving butterbeer. She removed a 6 pack from the pantry, and headed upstairs. She only wanted to sit in one spot, to tell this story. Only one space could fit. She lead Draco up a long flight of stairs, until they reached the highest room of the house. Lixella coughed as she opened the attic door. The room was stuffy, and smelled of dust.<p>

"Where are we going?" Draco asked, staring around the dark attic.

"Outside" Lixella stated. She placed the bottles on a nearby table, and climbed up onto a chair. There was a large rounded window, that she pushed open, leading onto the porch roof. She hoped off of the chair, grabbed the butterbeers and two blankets, then proceeded to climb through the window. Draco followed behind her, wondering just why they were on a rooftop. The night air was chilled, and felt nearly damp from the dew that was forming on the grass. The view was lovely. It overlooked teh entrance to the estate. Dim lanterns dotted the narrow gravel pathway, and they faded into dark blue sky.

"I come out here in summer" said Lixella, "mostly to think. It helps me get through being home."

"Do you not like your home?" asked Draco in confusion.

"Do you like everything about yours?" Lixella asked, popping open a bottle of butterbeer.

Draco shrugged, he knew the answer to that question was no, but he didn't want to admit it. He would often pretend like he adored being around his family. In complete honesty, he couldn't stand his house.

"My grandmother and I despise each other" Lixella said darkly, "She stands for everything that I don't. Status, money, she believed herself better just because there were a few more magical people in the family tree. From the day I was born, she raised me to be a little lady. By the age of 5 I could properly set, arrange, and decorate a dinner table. At 8, I could play piano, sketch birds, and even do ballet. By the age of 10 I could balance anything on my head with perfect posture. And, by the age of 11, I could shut myself up, and look as pretty as a picture." Lixella gave a long sigh, remembering how much she hated her younger, obedient self. She downed a gulp of butterbeer.

"I was the perfect young woman, classically trained by my stick in the mud grandmama! I was required to call her grandmama Cruxshade, because anything else sounded degrading. I was her puppy, and would do any trick she asked of me, never expecting any kind of reward. Nothing more than an object that she could show off to people. Conditioned to struggle, all for her approval and praise."

Draco took a sip of his butterbeer, letting the warm liquid coat his throat. He nearly let out a chuckle. He had never realized how similar their upbringings were. Just as he had chased after the approval of his father, Lixella chased after the approval of her grandmother. It wasn't easy, changing yourself for somebody. In fact, in the beginning, you don't even realize that you've changed yourself. It wasn't until Voldemort came along, that Draco began to notice his father's pathetic attempts at approval. Then, one day, the parallels dawned on him; that he was his father, and his father was Voldemort. Ever since then, he'd tried to hide himself from his family, pondering how to get away.

"Once I was finally able to get to school, and away from my house, I realized how much I hated her" said Lixella, "It was like a safe haven there. I could just be myself, not the proper young lady that my grandmother forced on me. I became almost this rebel to her. She used to tell my dad that I'd snapped, and I was going mad. In reality, I was just acting like myself. I did anything I could to rebel against her. I got into trouble with the dean. I became best friends with the daughter of a squib. I became the picture of rebellion against pure-blood ideals."

"But…you are a pure-blood" said Draco

"That was the best part" said Lixella, "people liked me because I was my own doppelganger. I was an oxymoron, a contradiction to my family. Nym and I had this reputation, of rebelling against our stereotypes. Then, the icing on the cake came, when I met Jonny. He was the epitome of someone my grandmother deemed undesirable. A completely ineligible bachelor. The son of two muggles, not hardly a drop of magical blood in his family. He was full of rage and not afraid to show it. My grandmother hated him so much, that she threatened to disown me."

"So, you only dated him, to get back at your grandmother?" asked Draco

This Lixella sounded crazy to him. It was as if she was a girl on a mission to destroy herself. Her attitude sounded like that of a tornado, wanting to wipe away everything in it's path. She seemed to have been even crazier back during those years.

"Well, it wasn't the only reason, but it was the fuel. He was kind of like a forest fire, destroying anything in his way. I was the same, and it only created more destruction when we were together. But, there was this side to him, that my stupid younger self adored. He was angry, only because of his family. His parents hated the fact that he was a wizard. They didn't understand magic, and didn't want to bother with it. In the end, he never really had much of a family, and it drove him to insanity."

Lixella stared out towards the front yard. She studied the entrance path, as it disappeared into the distance. The sky was turning a bright purple, preparing for the sun to rise. She had finished her bottle of butterbeer, and reached for another one, popped the cap off, and took a sip.

"He…never understood what it was like to love someone" said Lixella, "because he wasn't ever shown affection, I guess. So, when I was around, he was overly protective. He would act like I was going to leave him for anyone else, like he wasn't good enough for me. For some reason, and I hate myself for this…I liked it. I adored that he was obsessed with me, and never thought much of it. In fact, he was emotionally abusive, constantly bringing me to high and low points. He used to throw insults at me, and call it criticism. Probably because he didn't understand how to care about someone. But…"

she took another sip. "But, then there were moments when he was the nicest person in the world. He would put aside everything, and everyone to make me feel wanted. So, it turned into a chase, I started chasing his approval of me, and he started chasing my affection. I avoided everyone, to be with him. I gave up so many friends, and so much time, to spend it with my abusive boyfriend."

"How'd you get out of it?" Draco was in disbelief of what he was hearing. The story had gone from obedience, to rebellion, to fear. The shut in girl that Lixella described, sounded like someone he'd never met before.

"Well, one day I realized that he was becoming my grandmother" said Lixella, "and we got into a fight." She swallowed some more butterbeer, and prepared to block out the images. Nervously, she began her explanation, "Eventually, it got to the point where I was sure that he was just spouting angst. I thought he was trying to push me back into a corner, trying to shut me up. Then…" Lixella stared over to Draco, "he told me that if I valued it so much, I should just run back to my perfect little pure-blood life. Because I, obviously, didn't give two shits about him…"

"did you punch him?" asked Draco, expecting a yes.

"No…"said Lixella, "I simply said, 'Bite me…Damian'."

"He didn't?" Draco stared in confusion, "did he really?"

Lixella pulled the blanket off of her, and pulled her left sleeve over her shoulder. Strangely, Draco had never noticed it before. There, on the top of her shoulder, was a faint, round, bite mark. He stared at her in shock, trying to piece the whole thing together.

"Next thing I knew" said Lixella, "he was biting me. Then he was punching me. Eventually I ended up on the ground, and he was kicking me. It was as if he'd forgotten how to duel with magic, like he was some kind of wild animal. I tried to get away, fire a defensive spell at him. But, he tossed my wand to the other side of the room, and just kept on. I almost bled to death, right there on the floor. Nym eventually found the two of us and managed, somehow, to pry Jonny off of me. I didn't see him after that, not until tonight."

Several minutes of silence passed by. The two of them stared out into the distance, watching the sky change colors. Lixella's mind stayed on Jonny, wondering what it would've been like to have never met him. She would be a different person, much more rebellious, almost self-destructive. By dating him, she'd learned to tone down her hatred for people. Draco was trying to piece together the story, not wanting to believe that it was true. He understood now, why Lixella was paralyzed with fear. There was an image, for a second in his mind, of her being beaten to near death. He felt the familiar sensation of hatred, just as he'd felt in the woods two days ago.

"she would've really liked you" said Lixella suddenly, he looked over to her. "My grandmother" she said, "she would've really liked you. Hell! She would've been just ecstatic to know that I was dating a Malfoy. I can just hear her, 'well, that girl seems to have _finally_ come to her senses. I'm very happy that she's finally over that _phase_ of hers. It's alright Lixella, we'll just forget this little _temper tantrum _of yours. Dating a mud- blood…as if that would last. Not in this family."

"that wasn't your grandmother" said Draco, Lixella looked at him, puzzled. "you just did a perfect imitation of my father!"

Lixella shuddered a bit, trying to imagine having her grandmother, as her father. The idea made her afraid to talk. Her grandmother was terribly judgmental, and her father was the complete opposite. William Cruxshade was not a quiet man, that was for sure, but he was much more accepting than he made himself out to be. In front of his mother, Lixella's dad changed into a different person as well. He became a person who shut all of his thoughts inside, keeping his opinions to himself. Lixella hated the way her dad acted around her grandmother.

"That's terrible" she said, "I'm really sorry. How have you not gone mad, yet? I would've exploded and run away by now."

"You don't live with your grandmother everyday" he replied, "She wasn't constantly there. Always present, and always 'whipping you into shape'…making you want her approval. Since my father was always there, I just never questioned anything he told me. Plus, she was your grandmother…not you're actual parent. Escaping wasn't exactly an option for me. You had school, I didn't even have that. Especially not with the reputation I was supposed to live up to. I never had time to question anything, I just went with it."

"that seems to have gotten us both to a good spot" said Lixella as she took another sip, "family ideals…just wonderful things. I'll never understand why everyone is so obsessed with having all magical lineage."

"It's embarrassing" said Draco, "when you don't. You saw the way everyone reacted when you-know-who brought up my cousin marrying a werewolf. Surely you've had a moment like that in your life? Everyone's got a black sheep of the family."

"Nope" said Lixella, taking another sip of butterbeer, and placing the bottle on the shingled roof.

"What do you mean, No?" questioned Draco, "surely there's _someone_ in your family that everyone is embarrassed to call a relative."

Lixella sighed, staring down at the blanket around her legs. "I was threatened with death, when I was 7. My great aunt Margie nearly killed me, you know why?" she paused. "she threatened me, because I was talking to a muggle boy in the woods. He was camping with his family, and I met him. All I said was hello, and asked if he wanted to be my friend. When I got back that day, and told my great aunt, you know what she did?" Lixella stared over to Draco once more. "She whipped her wand out on me. She told me that if I ever even thought about talking to a muggle again…she would erase me from ever existing. I was 7, and threatened with death, because I said a sentence to a muggle by!"

Draco had nothing to say to this. He pondered what would've happened if he had attempted to befriend a muggle. Surely his father would've disowned him. However, he didn't think that his father would kill him. However, he wouldn't put the thought of murder above his dad.

"I expect that's what everyone else in my family was taught" said Lixella, feeling slightly dizzy from the butterbeer, "to stay as far out of the muggle world as possible. They are below you, muggles are primitive beings who don't deserve to breath near you. Befriending one…is like befriending a pig, or a sewer rat. It simply isn't done. It's disgusting, you know? The way that they treat muggles. And why? Just because they can get by without magic? I say applaud them…they can live without the wave of a wand."

Draco had never thought of it before. He attempted to imagine life without magic. It seemed far more complicated than it already was. What did they do all day? What did they learn in school? How did they get places? He knew the general answers to these questions, but never before had he realized the work that went into them. Magic made everything easier, which made life much more enjoyable. The life of a muggle suddenly seemed like too much work to him.

"That's why I can't stand for this whole death eater thing" said Lixella, "I can't honestly support the way that the world is headed."

"yeah…" muttered Draco. In all honesty, he wouldn't mind going back to a pre-Voldemort world. Had Voldemort never returned, he would be sitting in the Slytherin common room right now. He would be sitting with all of his friends, chatting away about how much they despise the structure of education. He wouldn't be caught up in this mess of being a death eater. It would be his seventh, and last year at Hogwarts. He would be preparing for some extraordinary wizarding career. Instead of trying to resurrect a clan of banshees, and watching his family live in fear everyday.

"So…" Lixella started, "Harry Potter…have you heard anything about him?"

"No" said Draco, "Why?"

"Because he's on the run, of course!" exclaimed Lixella

In the midst of everything, Draco had forgotten all about Potter. In fact, he hadn't heard about Potter since the ministry was taken over. Voldemort hadn't been trying very hard to find the boy. He was off, seeking out the elder wand. The mission of catching him had been left to the death eaters. It was almost an obsession back home, trying to figure out where he was.

"where do you think he is?" asked Lixella

"Dunno…" said Draco, "he could be anywhere. He's a good hider, I'll give him that. He's been evading the death eaters for a while now."

"What would you do?" Lixella asked, her gaze far off in the distance. Draco stared at her in confusion. "If he was right there" said Lixella, pointing in front of her. "If he was right in front of you…if you'd found him. Harry Potter, in the flesh. Would you sell him out to Voldemort?"

Draco paused, and stared out into the distance. He had never questioned what he would do in such a situation. He was dumbfounded. Most people would surely think that he would grab Potter and deliver him straight to the dark lord. However, that meant that Voldemort would win, and Draco wasn't fond of that idea. But, if he didn't say anything, then someone might find out, and mark him as a traitor. Then he'd be killed for sure.

"I…I dunno" he replied, honestly, "I mean…maybe…not…I dunno"

Lixella began laughing, "You...you are so indecisive!"

"well, what would you do?" he asked, slightly offended.

"I'd tell him to run as far away as he possibly could" said Lixella, "and never mention it to anyone."

"You'd get caught, surely" said Draco, "then he'd kill you! And probably the rest of your family!"

"But, there'd be a chance" said Lixella, "a chance that Harry would succeed. Even if I'm not around to see it, I still want it to happen."

Lixella took the last sip of her butterbeer. The sun had begun peeking over the trees. The sky was a magnificent scale of brilliant blues and purples. The stars were fading away, and the clouds were becoming visible. Morning had come, and neither of them had gotten a single minute of sleep.

"Thank you, by the way" Lixella muttered, "for saving me…that night. If he'd found me out there, I probably wouldn't be here."

"No" Draco responded, "you don't have to thank me, honestly. I would do the same to anyone that tried to do what he did to you. I love you, Lixella."

"I love you too, Draco" she said.

She had never actually known what it was like to have someone to protect her. She was such a headstrong individual, who always stood up for herself. She didn't show fear, because there was so little that she was afraid of. For some reason, having someone there to fall back on, was almost heart-warming. Tears began forming in her eyes, Lixella quickly wiped them away.

"I'm not crying" she said, disclaiming herself, and trying to hide her face. She buried her face into her blanket, wiping the tears on it. Draco smirked and scooted over to her. He pulled her legs over his, so that her left side was facing him. He then wrapped his arms around her, and she rested the side of her head on his right shoulder.

"I mean it" he said, "I went crazy when I saw what he did to you. I'm not ever going to let anyone hurt you like that…ever again."

Perhaps it was the way that she felt so vulnerable at that moment. Or, perhaps it was the fact that no one had ever said that to her before. It could've been the butterbeer making her tipsy. Maybe it was just the way that his hair looked, which was somewhere between messy and gorgeous. She wasn't sure what it was, but something in that moment made her want him, all of him.

She kept a straight gaze with him, staring into his eyes. Those wonderfully beautiful green eyes of his. She reached her hand around to the back of his neck, and pulled him into a kiss. It started out soft and sweet, but eventually the feeling began to grow. She began kissing him passionately, as if trying to force herself on him. They began pulling each other closer. Until, eventually, Lixella's back was against the roof, and Draco was leaning over her. He held himself up with one arm, the other wrapped around Lixella's waist. She held him tightly against her, running her hands up and down his back, and through his hair. A rush of adrenaline surged through the both of them, causing them to pull each other closer. But, eventually, it wasn't enough, and Draco suddenly found himself trying to pull off her shirt.

"Whoa!" Lixella cried, yanking her shirt back down.

"Really?" he asked in shock, "why not? You were enjoying it! you can't deny that!"

"No it's just…" Lixella sat up and opened the window, "I will not have someone walk by, and see me naked on this roof!"

She climbed through the window, Draco stared at her as she left, dumbfounded.

"are you gonna sit there?" she asked, poking her head through the window, "because if so, then you'll never find out what's underneath my shirt."

"Like hell I'm passing up that offer…"he replied, and quickly rushed his way back inside of the attic.

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><p>Hehe...happy valentine's day everyone!<p>

Thanks for reading, I'll have the next chapter up soon! I want to put some more in here about Lunareth, because Lixella and Nym have such a reputation there, that I haven't elaborated on!

Send me some reviews, I would love to hear from everybody ^_^

Review of reviews!

Fayette13: every time i read your review I'm constantly talking back to it. I always say that you're going to love the rest of the story, and you have no idea what I've got in store XD about the golden trio, don't worry, in time they will see more! and also, about writing in deviations from HP7...it has to happen after the banshees. Right now, everyone is in America. I've got a few ideas to toss around. But, thank you, your reviews make me feel quite special ^_^ they also help me in making certain decisions on plot line. I'll let you know right now, that i never really have a plot line, I just kind of have events, and then a sort of ending. As I've said before, there are two possible endings for this story! and please use up all the characters, i enjoy the long reviews!

DizzyPotter: Yes! because Draco IS a badass...but he never gets much of a chance to show how much of a badass he is! this is the time where I say thank god for fanfiction, giving characters the chance to be total beasts (outside of canon) since, whenever it was created! and thank you, by the way, I was so excited to finally write Jonny as a werewolf. I had been mentioning him for a while, just for that reason ^_^

DezziPenn: yes, that not-really-dead-but-soulless-douche! instantly my new favorite insult...why you so funny DezziPenn? why you so funny?

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: Please don't die! here, a chapter so you can continue living XD thans for the review, please send me more!

Lily: thank you...I'm glad that the plot twist did it's job for everyone ^_^ thanks for the review!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: MORE IS ON IT'S WAY! XD

thanks for the reviews guys, please keep it up! I adore hearing from everyone! you guys are awesome!


	12. Parchment 12: Reminiscing

Phew! I am over here just typing my fingers off!that's how much I love you guys ^_^

Welcome to chapter 12, I know this was put up pretty quickly, but I'm just itching to get to the really good stuff!

Since the reviews of chapter 10, I've got so many ideas on which way this story is going...y'all are going to love it!

So ONWARD! and thanks for the support, I really appreciate it all!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 12: Reminiscing

Her eyes opened, and Lixella peered around lazily. She didn't recognize where she was, but she was oddly comfortable. She knew that it wasn't her room, for the walls weren't even walls. They were just boards of wood, held together by more wood framing. The room was dark and dusty, with a single window that let in blurry rays of sunshine. I was colder in this room, but only Lixella's face was cold. The rest of her was covered by a thick wool blanket. She was lying on her side, staring over at a wall. Somehow, the mattress that she'd usually slept on, was now a makeshift pile of old blankets and pillows. She blinked lazily, still unable to make out all of her surroundings.

There was a strange dizzy feeling in her head, and the sound of thumping came from below this mystery room. Lixella turned over, onto her back. Just as she did, she felt something strange. She suddenly realized that there was no fabric between her and the blanket. Lixella's eyes grew wide as she peered beneath the blanket, to find that she was naked. Her heart began racing, and her mind tried to recall the events of last night. She remembered talking to Draco on the roof , outside of the attic. Suddenly, as if she'd never seen it before, Lixella realized that she was lying in her attic.

She hesitated for a second, still dizzy, and slowly she turned her head. Her heart skipped a beat, she gasped and shot up, clutching the blanket to her chest. Not because she was surprised, but because she was correct. Next to her, still asleep, was Draco. The events of the previous night became clearer to her. She hung her head, unsure of how she felt about all of this. She sighed and looked back over to Draco. It was hard to deny that he looked particularly good in the dusty sunlight. He was lying on his back, with one hand on his bare chest, and the other was reaching across the bed, to Lixella. She was startled from her admiration by a door slamming downstairs. She wondered what time it was, they must've fallen asleep with the sun still up.

"Damn…" muttered Draco as he woke to the bright sunlight. He looked over to Lixella, and began studying her naked back, which was covered halfway by messy black hair. "Damn…" he repeated, once he realized that she was covering her front with a blanket. Then, all at once, the events of the night flooded into his mind. "Damn!" he exclaimed once more, sitting up, "did we?"

"I dunno" said Lixella, "thought I'm pretty sure we did, considering that we're both stark naked in my attic."

"Dear Salazar…" said Draco, "we did! I remember it!"

He looked over to Lixella, his face beaming with happiness and pride. Lixella stared back at him with a twisted expression. She was still unsure of how she felt about this.

"So" said Draco, "was it good for you?"

"Shut up!" said Lixella, grinning and punching his arm, "I don't remember anything."

"Well, you certainly aren't a virgin, Cruxshade…I'll tell you that much!"

Lixella suddenly turned very red, and buried her face in her hands. She must have gotten tipsy last night, or close to drunk. Her head was lightly dizzy, with a bit of pressure on her skull. She massaged her forehead, trying to make the pain go away. Then, a creaking sound came from the staircase. She looked over, screamed, and fell back onto the makeshift mattress, pulling the blanket over her completely.

"I've found them, Nym" Mickey called down the stairs, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud clanging noise, followed by the stomping of footsteps up the stairs. Nym entered, her expression as fiery as her hair. She reached the top of the staircase, and clapped a hand to her forehead.

"Lixella…" she said through gritted teeth

"yes, Nym?" Lixella reluctantly responded from underneath the covers.

"Please tell me you are both wearing pants"

"Okay…umm, we're both wearing pants"

Lixella peered out and gave a worried smile, hoping that Nym wouldn't burst into flames.

"Well, Cruxshade" said Mickey, "you seem to have finally realized that no form of clothing will ever look good on you. Congratulations!"

"The only thing keeping me from killing you, Mageling" Lixella spat, "is this blanket!"

"Well, then thank god for that blanket" he scoffed, "No one wants to see what's under there!"

"Shut up, Mickey!" Nym scolded, "Or I swear to god I'll…Jesus Christ, woman!"

Nym screamed as she looked over to find Lixella standing completely naked. Mickey was staring at her in disbelief, shock covering his face. Draco, however, just had his face buried in his hand, laughing quietly. He knew that Lixella was crazy, but he never expected her to prove it by standing naked in front of everyone. It really showed the length that she would go to have the last word.

"What's wrong, Mageling?" she asked, her hands on her bare hips. "You act like you've never seen a naked girl before. Which is strange considering that you wake up everyday, and look at your vagina in a hand mirror. Just to make sure it's still there!"

Draco let out a rather rude, but not completely uncalled for, snort of laughter.

"Enough!" shouted Nym, "Mickey, go back downstairs! Lixella…for the love of god, woman, locate some damn pants!" She turned and headed down the staircase, "or some underwear at least!"

Lixella's eyes shifted over to Draco. A sly grin crept across her face. They stared at each other for a minute, and then broke out into uncontrollable laughter. Lixella fell back onto the makeshift bed, holding onto her stomach.

"in a hand mirror" Draco said between laughs, "just to know it's there. Really, you…you are…you are too good!"

"did you see his face?" she asked, nearly out of breath from laughter. "did you see his face, when I stood up?…like he'd never seen a naked girl before!"

"he probably hasn't…"laughed Draco, "if he's having to use a hand mirror every day. He probably can't find the hole on his own!"

Lixella clutched her rib cage, she hadn't laughed this much in a long time. The two of them lay there for a while, staring up at the dirty attic ceiling.

"we're still naked, ya know?" said Draco, smiling

"Yeah" said Lixella, "we should probably fix that."

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><p>After a few more minutes of uncontrollable laughter, and a few shenanigans, the two of them ended up downstairs. Nym and Mickey were sitting in the parlor, flipping through journals. The day seemed far too relaxed. For some reason, Lixella just felt like doing absolutely nothing. She wanted to sit down, and never get up. She felt like this often, in November. There was something about the month that made her lazy. Perhaps it was the fact that, at Lunareth, this was the final month before winter holiday. Everything was winding down.<p>

"Thank god" Nym said, "you two have, somehow, managed to locate clothing!"

"It's a miracle!" Lixella shouted, throwing her arms in the air, "I have discovered these wonderful things…they're called underwear!"

"Dear god…" Mickey buried his face in his hands, "I have been mentally scarred, for life!"

"Good…" said Lixella, "I can mark _that_ off of my list then."

She leaned against a couch, staring over at her parent's seats. Her stomach began growling. She realized that she hadn't eaten anything in a while, other than butterbeer. Not to mention the amount of "exercise" she'd gotten last night.

"I'm starving" she said, "what time is it?"

"It's around 5 in the afternoon" Nym said, "we've been waiting for you two, so we can eat."

Draco and Lixella exchanged surprised glances. Neither of them had ever woken up this late before. Nym closed the book she was reading, and headed out of the door, and into the dining room. The table had been nicely set, and the food was somehow still warm. "I love magic" Lixella muttered, wondering how long the food had been sitting out.

They all sat down for a meal that was somewhere between lunch and dinner. It was apparent that Nym hadn't cooked, since the food contained no amount of Tabasco. They all sat around and chatted about their past shenanigans in life. A particular topic of interest, was that of Lixella and Nym's rebellious school reputation.

"Oh, do you remember, Nym" Lixella said, "do you remember that one Halloween, when we filled every tree outside of the Dean's office, with Polynesian poppers?"

Nym began laughing, "Oh god, yes! We nearly set those trees on fire, she thought the school was under attack. We got detention for three weeks!"

"Jesus christ, that was you two?" Mickey said, laughing with his head in his hands

"Oh, do you remember when we switched out Professor Carington's soap with hair color gel?" Nym said, her face beaming with joy.

"It was pink and sparkling for weeks" Lixella said, "Or when we decided to have a student sponsored fire works show, during finals?"

"what are you two?" Draco laughed, "the weasley twins?"

"Oh god, do you remember when we used poly juice potion to be the Markinson twins for a day?" Lixella said to Nym.

"We told everyone that we were from Canada" Nym laughed, "and that we couldn't speak a word of English."

"but you'd already spoken English" Mickey said, confused

"That was the funny part" replied Nym, "because after that, the teachers would ask us a question…and we'd suddenly forget how to speak English!"

"Two weeks detention" said Lixella

"second year" said Nym

They both sighed, staring around at nothing, reminiscing on their entertaining past.

"we practically lived in detention" said Lixella, "do you remember, around 5th year, when I had detention, and you had to go to a meeting with the dean. They had to discuss your 'situation', because she wanted to make sure you felt like 'part of the group'. Do you remember what she said to you?"

"you mean after she said my 'outbursts' were results of my home life?" Nym became bitter, Lixella nodded, "oh…you mean, when she said,

'and you can't breath a word of this meeting to Lixella!" they chimed in unison

Lixella kept on laughing, clutching onto her stomach.

"dean Stratoscope knew us so well" Lixella sighed, remembering the headmistress of Lunareth.

"did you two ever pay attention to _any_ rules?" asked Draco. It was surprising, hearing all of this. He knew that Lixella was a rebel, but not to this degree.

Lixella and Nym both looked at each other and laughed. "no" they said in unison, once more. "dean Stratoscope has some stupid rules" said Lixella, "she's just one of those women, who thinks that school should be structured, and that students are simple minded. Like we're all tiny children, scared to face the big bad world!"

"Umbridge…"muttered Draco. He shuddered, thinking of her pink office, with it's ceramic cat plates, and perfectly lined pencils. Everyone stared at him in confusion. He proceeded to explain the personality of Delores Umbridge; as well as her take over of Hogwarts in his 5th year of school.

"Yep" said Lixella, "that sounds just like dean Stratoscope…all of my hate."

"Do you remember that one day?" Nym asked, "when you walked into her 'proper wizarding' lecture class…20 minutes late." she turned to Draco, "proper wizarding was a lecture that the dean gave every single Friday afternoon. Each class was required to attend. We had to sit and listen to her talk about wizarding etiquette, and acting like young ladies and gentlemen, for an hour."

"oh yeah" Lixella said, "I remember, because I came in 20 minutes late…and she was outraged. What did I say to her?"

"I remember" Mickey said, "you said, 'well professor…I don't very much see the point in being on time to a class that is _lowering_ my IQ."

"Nice" said Draco, Lixella nodded.

Lixella thought back to her times at Lunareth. She and dean Staroscope always had a hatred for one another. Lixella stood for learning freely, while Stratoscope stood for creating structure. During this time in her life, Lixella was a rebel against nearly anyone that told her to sit and be silent. Which is exactly what dean Stratoscope did. To this day, Lixella still despised the woman, and her massive amount of rules. Students weren't children, they were students. Therefore, they needed to be prepared for life.

"Do you two remember the goats?" Mickey asked out of nowhere

Lixella and Nym smiled broadly at each other, "the goats!" they both shouted.

"goats?" Draco asked in confusion

"so, there used to be this park" Lixella started, "it was kind of a private spot for students to escape from teachers and skip class. The teachers knew about it, but it was kind of like this taboo thing…"

"Yeah, and then the dean decided that it was naughty" said Nym, "and she opted to mow it over, and plant a 'friendship' garden. The student body was outraged…but they mowed it over, nonetheless."

"As if Stratoscope cared what the students thought" Mickey rolled his eyes, "she only ever said that we would 'thank' her in a few years."

"Yeah…"Lixella swallowed a piece of pork chop, "anyways, Nym and I knew that we had to do something about it. This time she'd gone too far…so, there were these goats. They were used to feed the school's dragon."

"Herds of them…"Nym said, picking up the story, "so Lixella and I decided that they might want to try some of the lovely food in the friendship garden."

"So we let them loose" said Lixella, "and, just as a last remark, we put up a sign that said, 'Thanks for the goat chow, Stratoscope!"

"You two are mad!" laughed Draco, "positively mad!"

"what was that…fourth year? no…fifth year?" asked Lixella

"Mmm, I think so" said Nym, "we had detention for the rest of spring semester…"

They both looked at each other, "worth it" they nodded in unison.

In their time at Lunareth, Nym and Lixella had certainly left a legacy. It was for this reason that Lixella couldn't ever call Hogwart's her home. She would forever remember her rebellious days in school. The two of them were legends, but they couldn't exist without the other. Nym was her best friend, without whom, Lixella wouldn't be half as interesting. Nym gave Lixella this sense of adventure, that she lacked most of the time. Lixella gave Nym someone to run around, and go on adventures with. They were best friends because they needed each other, in order to stay entertained in life. Nym chased this feeling of being alive, because she found everything else so boring. Lixella needed something to push her out of the ordinary, and Nym did that for her.

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><p>Mickey left after that day, he had to get home before his parent's did. Nym kissed him goodbye, and told him to stay safe. Lixella was more than happy to get him out of her house. However, she couldn't help but notice that he had changed a bit. Mickey had gone from being a completely pompous ass, to a semi-tolerable pompous ass. There was something different about him, for sure, but Lixella couldn't figure out what it was. He was much more tolerable, and seemed a bit more open around her and Nym. She was still skeptical about him, though, it would take a lot before she trusted Mickey with her best friend.<p>

"Oh darn…"she sighed, slumping into a chair in the parlor. She turned to Draco, "you have to leave in a few days, don't you?"

He nodded and her heart sank a little. She wanted to go back to England with him, but she knew it wasn't an option. She was so close to her goal, so close to resurrecting the banshees. All she had left to figure out was how to purify a soul. Lixella stared out of the window, towards the white willow tree.

"Why a willow tree?" she mumbled

"Some religions believe that Wilow trees guide lost souls into the afterlife" said Nym, "isn't that the point of the one back there?"

"yes, but how do I connect with it?" asked Lixella, "it's not like it can talk"

She stared at the tree for several minutes, contemplating how to make a connection.

"isn't your wand made of willow?" Draco asked

Lixella looked puzzled for a bit, then pulled her wand from it's case. She turned it over a few times in her hand, admiring the detailing.

"Willow wood and unicorn hair" she said

"where'd you get it?" Nym asked, "Ollivander…or Madame McClure?"

Madame McClure was a witch who lived in Serenity Hollow, the American equivalent of Diagon Alley. She made most of the wands for the children at Lunareth. It was a decision, and preference between families; wither madame McClure, or Ollivander.

"Neither…"Lixella said, "My grandmother had mine specially made."

"You can't do that" said Draco, confused, "can you?"

"the wand chooses the wizard…" Nym's voice trailed off

"It _did_ choose me" said Lixella, "it was a private dealer. A man that my grandmother knew very well. Actually it was Professor Wynchester, the wand lore professor, from Lunareth. He made my mom's wand too. He owns a small business, out in Virginia. My grandmother took me there, and that's when it chose me."

Lixella knew that her wand was made for her. She had never felt such a connection to any object before in her life. There was something strange about it. It was as if her wand knew her potential better than she did. Every time she casted a spell, she had this feeling of pushing herself a little farther. As if her wand was trying to tell her that she should keep going, keep learning. This was part of the reason why she was so good at dueling, because she could push herself farther.

The other part was the fact that her father had trained her to be able to defend herself against anything. He was brutal when they fought, he wouldn't hold back. At times, Lixella's mother would have to stop him from causing too much harm. It was her father's only flaw, in her opinion. He wanted his daughter to succeed so badly, that he was willing to use force to push her there.

"do you think?" Nym paused, "do you think it could be made from the tree in your back yard?"

Lixella hadn't considered this before. Surely, it was possible; but, she had never seen any bark be taken from that tree. How could they make a wand from the tree, without having at least a branch from it?

"I've never seen it be cut…" Lixella said

"if only we could go ask him" said Nym, "he'd be teaching right now, Lunareth will be back in session tomorrow."

"Then let's go" said Lixella, "we can give you a disguise, Nym. I doubt anyone will question why I'm there. And we'll just say that Draco is new."

"we don't exactly have anyone for poly juice potion, Lixella" said Nym

Lixella got up from the chair, and made her way over to the door. She called Lita into the room, and asked her to retrieve something from the kitchen. "oh, dearest, Nym" said Lixella, "you forget that my dad was an inventor!" Lita returned with a small jar of orange food chunks. Lixella opened the jar, and took one out. "This…" she said, holding up the orange chunk, "is something my dad called 'INSTA-disguise'. It's guaranteed to keep someone under a disguise, without needing any kind of hair, like a poly juice potion does!"

"Brilliant" said Draco, "how does it work?"

"It just rearranges a few features on your face" said Lixella, "like, it'll make your hair longer, and your nose smaller. Just enough so that no one can really tell who you are!"

"how long does it last?" asked Nym

"For…I don't know" Lixella paused, "All I know is that you have to stay away from water. It washes the effects off of your face. My dad never truly tested it on any kind of long term mission."

"I say we go, then" Draco nodded, "then you can figure this out, and get back to England faster!"

"I second that!" Nym raised her hand, "except for going back to England, I'd rather you didn't do that part! I'm having far too much fun here!"

Lixella laughed, and put the bottle of INSTA-disguse, onto the table.

"Well…" she said, peering around, "it's back to Lunareth then!"

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><p>Finally, I get to take you all to Lunareth! oh you're going to love it, and dean Stratoscope!<p>

thank you for reading, and don't be scared to send me a review!


	13. Parchment 13: Unexpected Arrivals

Welcome to unlucky Parchment 13! as tradition, I usually put something unlucky in this chapter ^_^

Hope you guys enjoy it!

Thank you to JackVonDesonner for favoriting my story

and also, thank you to xXMizz Alec VolturiXx and TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken for their reviews!

READ ON!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 13: Unexpected Arrivals

The people who often hiked through the woods near Sleepy Hollow, did so with a few intentions. These ranged from family outings to ghost hunts in the famed forests. A few legends existed for those who entered the woodland path around the months of August, November, and December. Many people thought the story was a hoax, for not many had ever seen it before. Those who did dare enter the forest for this one day, saw a lantern. It was rumored that a single lantern sat on a dock, by a murky pond. It existed only between the hours of 3 a.m. and 3 p.m. for one day.

Lixella Cruxshade sat in the thick bushes, hiding from sight. Her eyes were fixated on the lantern, watching it's yellow glow reflect over the pond. Nym, who had already eaten the INSTA-disguise, sat next to her, waiting for movement. Her hair was more brown and came down to her shoulders; her facial features had become more pointed, with higher cheekbones. She resembled someone of native american descent.

"Tell me again, why are we staring at a lantern?" asked Draco

"It's a port-key" replied Nym, "it takes you up to the sky-rail"

"Why not just have it take you to the school?" he asked, even more puzzled

"because if a muggle gets to it" said Lixella, "it's better that they end up in a train station, than in a wizarding school."

"Americans…" Draco muttered, "always making things so complicated... And why are we hiding?"

"because" said Nym, "we're waiting for Mickey. Lunareth is under surveillance, probably controlled by…well, you-know…_him_. Once Mickey uses it, we'll know it's safe."

"Stratoscope would _so_ be a death eater…"Lixella whispered

A strange mist covered the lake, creating an eerie light. The three of them watched from across the pond, as three others approached the dock. Mickey approached the lantern, accompanied by his mother and father. He touched one hand to the port key, and the light began flickering. It grew brighter, until the three of them had to shield their eyes. Once they looked back, Mickey and his family were gone.

"Let's go" Lixella said, removing her wand, and heading across the field. She turned to the other two, "remember, stay away from any water, Nym. The Mysitcal Congress and the Bureau of Magic would have a field day if they just found you walking around the school!"

Nym nodded, and the three of them touched a hand to the black iron post. The light began getting brighter. Lixella closed her eyes, ready to see the sky port for the first time in a year and a half. There was a familiar sensation of floating, as they teleported through the air. Lixella opened her eyes once she felt solid ground again. It was oddly quiet for the sky port.

"Wh…where are we?" Nym asked, glancing around in confusion.

Lixella's heart began racing as she realized that they weren't in the sky port. They were in a small square room. The walls were made of black marble, and golden accents. A single lantern hung from the ceiling, and a few empty shelves lined the walls. The place looked oddly familiar, as if she'd been in there before.

"Arthus…" she muttered in shock, "This is my cousin's old office, he used to work in the Department of Mysteries."

"so, we _are_ at the ministry" said Draco, breathing an uncomfortable sigh, "why are we here?"

"The Muggle-born Registration Commission" Nym read a sign that hung over the doorway, "Lixella…I think this is my fault…I tried to go back to school, and…"

"No…"Lixella hit her hand to her face, "I will _not_ have them taking you to Azkaban…dammit, this is all _my_ fault!"

"You?" Draco asked, "You're a…"

"Yeah" Nym responded, "my dad's a squib…and my mom's a muggle"

Draco turned to Lixella in shock, "really! You brought _her_ to help you? I mean honestly, you really didn't think he'd find out at some point?"

"Shut up!" Lixella scolded

"Well" Nym said, "at least they can't recognize me"

"_Don't be alarmed_" sounded a disembodied voice, "_and stand still_"

Suddenly, a heavy mist began spraying from the ceiling. Lixella watched in shock as Nym's hair transformed back to it's fiery red color, and her face moved around to become her own, once more. "Of course" Lixella flung her arms in the air, "They _would_ do that…" . A loud alarm began sounding, and they all covered their ears. Lixella turned to Nym, pointing her wand between Nym's eyes. "stay completely still" Lixella yelled, "_Protego Obscurus"_ A yellow light rushed out of the white wand, forming a cylinder around Nym's whole body. Draco watched as Nym faded into the background, becoming invisible. The door to the room swung open, and two men came through the doorway. Lixella recognized both of them from the death eater meetings. She knew that one of them was a man named Yaxley, the other man's name escaped her.

"What the bloody hell are you two doing in here?" asked Yaxley

"Do we _look_ like we know that answer, Yaxley?" Draco spat

"Aren't you supposed to be in school?" asked the other, "Well, I'm sure your mummy and daddy will want to know about this!"

"you're supposed to be in _school_?" Lixella said through gritted teeth

"So are you here deliverin' a mud-blood, then?" he asked, pointing a stubby finger to Lixella. "Is this her?" he poked her in the shoulder.

"No, Larz, you stupid idiot!" scolded Draco, "that's Lixella Cruxshade!"

"Cruxshade, eh?" Larz studied Lixella, "you related to Elmira Cruxshade?"

"Yes, she's my grandmother" she said, confused, "Why?"

"I thought your grandmother was dead?" asked Draco

"I never said she was dead…" Lixella pondered, "did I?…I would prefer her to be."

"Well, well…"said Yaxley, "it's a good thing you're here then."

"Though I have no idea why you're in the mudblood delivery room" muttered Larz

"Where?" Lixella asked

"This room was made for all of the little mud blood kids" said Yaxley, "so when they try to go back to school, they end up here!"

"Oh…"Lixella said, disgusted, "just lovely"

She peered back to where Nym was standing invisible.

"You're both comin' with us!" said Yaxley, "I've got some people who'll be very happy to see you!"

Lixella and Draco exchanged worried glances as the two men headed out of the door. "Don't move till we're gone" Lixella whispered to Nym, "then get yourself out". Nym, who had been invisible this whole time, nodded in understanding. Lixella and Draco left, leaving Nym standing alone in the delivery room. They made their way down the long maze-like hallways of the Ministry. Neither of them knew what to expect, and neither Yaxley nor Larz seemed to want to give them the answers. They, eventually, made their way into an elevator. "_level one_" sounded a disembodied voice, "_Minister of magic and support staff_".

"The Minister's office?" Draco asked, "Why are we here?"

"You aren't seeing the minister" spat Yaxley, "You two are going to go have a nice chat with Umbridge!"

Lixella and Draco exchanged another worried glance as they were ushered down the hall. Lixella was nearly sick from the amount of discrimination. There were rooms of people filing papers and pamphlets, telling about the dangers of mudbloods. On the walls hung posters, warning about Harry Potter as "Undesirable No. 1"; As well as a few lovely propaganda pieces against muggles. Yaxley and Larz stopped in front of an office door.

"She's down interrogatin' the mudbloods" said Larz, he looked at his pocket watch. "3 o'clock. I suppose she'll be interviewing the Spakerton girl right about now."

Lixella's eyes grew wide with shock. She hoped that there was a different girl out there by the name of Jynx Spakerton.

"Well" said Yaxley, "we'll just place them in the waiting room". He turned to face both of them, "Hope you two are ready to see everyone!"

They lead them over to the office next door. In this room sat several chairs, and 5 people. Upon their entrance Narcissa stood up, giving her son a both confused and infuriated look. Lucius sat next to his wife, holding the same expression. Lixella's uncle Zander merely hung his head at the sight of his niece. Her aunt Iris frowned, looking almost apologetic that they were there. Lastly, Lixella's grandmother, Elmira, sat across form her son, staring at her granddaughter in utter disgust.

"Thought you might like some company" said Larz, "we found these two in the mudblood delivery room!"

"The what?" asked Lucius

"Turns out your boy hasn't been to school for a few days, Lucius" Yaxley nodded.

Draco hung his head, trying to avoid his father's infuriated gaze.

"Well, you all have fun now" said Larz, "we'll be back in a bit!"

They left, shutting the door behind them.

"Not in school?" Narcissa stared at her son in disbelief, "I told you to stay at Hogwarts!"

"I wanted to help…" Draco said defensively, "she needed my help!"

"it is not your place to be helping" Lucius scolded, "this isn't your job, it's _hers_. If the dark lord wanted you helping, he would've sent you along with her!"

"She would've _died_ if I hadn't been there!" spat Draco

They all stared at him in shock. "It's true…" said Lixella, "I almost got mauled by a werewolf. If Draco hadn't been there, I would probably be dead."

"A werewolf?" aunt Iris asked, fear plastered across her face

"Yes…" said Lixella, "Now, why are we here?"

"We've apparently been brought in for questioning" said uncle Zander

"What?" asked Lixella and Draco in unison

"Brace yourself, Lixella…" her uncle paused, "they think your father is alive."

Lixella looked at him in disbelief. They couldn't possibly have found out about her dad. Did they know that he was on the run? Or that he was working with the Order now? How did they find out? She knew that she couldn't say anything. Lixella thought she was the only one in the room who knew about this.

"He…he" Lixella couldn't form words. She fell into a chair, holding a hand to her forehead. "But….how did?…how could?" Lixella kept her gaze on the floor, trying to sort out how this was possible.

"They also think that he's helping Harry Potter" said Narcissa

Lixella stood up again, "My dad's never _met_ Harry Potter". It suddenly occurred to Lixella that Harry Potter meant the Order. She couldn't truthfully deny that her father was, in fact, helping the order. She wondered if they knew about Arthus. "So we're here for questioning?" she asked, everyone nodded.

"They've even brought Iris and mother here, for some odd reason" said uncle Zander, motioning to his mom.

Lixella's grandmother stood up. She was a short woman, and very fit for her age. Her hair was grey and permed into perfect curls atop her head. Her long fingers wrapped around a wooden cane, which she used to hit Lixella in her knee. "Ow!" Lixella muttered

"Not even a hello!" Elmira criticized, "I don't see you in months, and now that I'm here…you don't even say hello? Have you lost all of those manners I taught you?"

"I'm sorry…" said Lixella, "Hello Grandmo…Grandmama Cruxshade."

"Goodness child…" Elmira circled her, "have you devolved? Where's your posture?" She jabbed Lixella with her cane, "chin up! Shoulders back! And what are you wearing? young ladies do _NOT_ wear skirts that short!"

"This is my Lunareth uniform, Grandmama"

"Well..." Elmira said appalled, "I do not understand why they feel the need to dress you like a hussy! Though I suppose that's what happens when you go to school in _America_. Why your father moved there, I will _never_ understand!"

"Oh..." Lixella whispered, "I think I know"

Her grandmother and aunt stared at her with disapproval. Draco tried not to chuckle at just how perfectly Lixella had described her grandmother. It was very evident that the two of them couldn't stand one another.

"And just what are you two doing here…" said Elmira pointing from Lixella to Draco

"We just went over this, mom" Uncle Zander stated, rolling his eyes

"I mean together…" she said, "In my days, young ladies and gentlemen didn't just go prancing around the Ministry together…alone."

"He's my boyfriend, grandmama" Lixella said through gritted teeth

"Well…" Her grandmother sat back down, smiling broadly.

Lixella nudged Draco in his side, "Get ready for this…" she whispered.

"You've _finally_ come to your senses, have you?" started her grandmother. Lixella mouthed the words, rolling her eyes. "I'm glad to see that you've gotten over that _phase _of yours. Don't worry, we'll just forget that little _temper tantrum_. Really…dating a mublood…as if that would last. _Not_ in _this_ family!"

"Spot on…"Draco whispered, impressed. Lixella nodded back at him.

"dating a mudblood?" Lucius asked in confusion

"a werewolf as it turns out" said Lixella nonchalantly, causing several shocked looks.

Draco tried once more to hold back his laughter. He adored the way that Lixella presented such discriminating information as if it were nothing. Her quiet rebellious side was one of the reasons he loved her.

"I had forgotten about Jonny…"muttered uncle Zander, "Isn't he that boy that beat you up?"

Lixella nodded.

"Goodness, child" said Narcissa, staring at Lixella in disbelief. "Are you mad?" she questioned.

"Clearly…"stated Lixella, as she sat back down. Draco sat down next to her, trying not to laugh at her comments.

"Just as rebellious as your father…" stated her Grandmother, "He did _not_ hesitate to give me problems when he was younger!"

Lixella chuckled, trying to cover up her happiness. She remembered the many stories her dad would tell her, about the days he spent rebelling against his mother. She adored being compared to her dad.

"So, I understand why you all are here…" Draco pointed to the Cruxshades, "but why are _we_ here?" he pointed to his parents.

Narcissa looked down to the floor, trying to avoid the answer. She could not tell anyone about her encounter with William a few months earlier. She hadn't breathed a word of it to anyone, so she was unsure as to why they wanted to question her family.

"I have no idea" she said halfheartedly to her son

"They apparently believe that we have something to do with all of this!" said Lucius

"I am very sorry that they've dragged all of you here" said uncle Zander apologetically

The door to the waiting room opened, and a woman in pink waltzed in, accompanied by Yaxley and Larz. She had a toad-like face, and a mouth that was plastered into a smile. Lixella winced in disgust, this woman reminded her too much of dean Stratoscope. The lady inhaled sharply, and looked down at her clipboard. She had a posture that seemed as if a stick had been shoved very far up her behind.

"Umbridge…" Draco whispered over to Lixella

"Well…"said Umbridge, "I believe you all know why you're here?" she nodded.

"No, actually…" snapped Lucius, "I have no idea why my family is being questioned."

Umbridge inhaled sharply once more, then gave a pleasant smile. "It is suspected, Lucius" she began, "that your family has aided an undesirable. A…" she looked down at her clipboard, "William Cruxshade. It is believed that he has been in contact with Harry Potter…who I'm sure you know is…"

"I know who he is…" Lucius scolded, "and I can assure you that my family has had no contact with any of _his_ allies."

Narcissa shifted her posture and stared across the room, trying to avoid anyone's gaze.

"Well…" started Umbridge, a bit offended, "you are here, nonetheless. So, therefore we must question you."

Lucius simply rolled his eyes at the incompetence of this woman, and sat back in his chair.

"Now, who wants to be first?" Umbridge stared around the room, "How about the mother. Elmira, if you would please follow me."

"Honestly…" stated Elmira, as she got up from her chair, "no respect here."

Umbridge ushered her out of the room, Yaxley and Larz followed. The rest of them were left to ponder when their turn would come. They sat, in near silence, commenting every few minutes on the absurdity of the situation. One by one they were each taken out of the room by Umbridge. Each time she would leave them with a snide remark, followed by a polite smile. Lixella was becoming sick of Umbridge. She wasn't sure how much longer she could tolerate sitting there. Draco was the last one to be questioned, leaving Lixella as the final suspect. Umbridge walked back in, thanking Draco for his company.

"Now..." she turned to Lixella, "last but not least…if you'll follow me, dear."

Lixella inhaled nervously, bitting back the fear that was welling up in her stomach. Umbridge ushered her out of the room, and lead her to the office next door. The place was sickeningly pink, and covered with ceramic kitten plates. Lixella peered around the office in disgust, she disliked cats. Umbridge motioned for her to take a seat in front of the large desk.

"Cup of tea dear?" Umbridge asked politely.

Lixella looked in front of her, at a perfectly angled tea cup. It was pristinely white, with a pink tinted liquid sitting inside of it. Lixella smiled and shook her head. Did this woman think she was an idiot? She knew that Umbridge must have laced that tea with veritaserum.

"Oh, I forgot" Umbridge stated, "You're American."

Even though Umbridge's tone was polite, it held a sense of insult. Lixella was nearly offended by the nonchalant statement.

"Would you prefer a coffee, then?" asked Umbridge

"No thank you, ma'am" Lixella said politely, "I'm trying to cut back on my caffeine intake."

"I insist" Umbridge gave a giggle, and scooted the tea cup a bit closer to Lixella.

Lixella smiled up at her, then stared back down at the tea cup. She took the white cup from it's saucer, and brought it to her lips. She kept her lips pursed together, not allowing a single drop to enter her mouth. She then swallowed the fake tea, and gave Umbridge another smile."Delicious" said Lixella, as she placed the cup back on it's saucer. Umbridge sat in her chair, returning Lixella's polite smile.

"So..." she peered down at her clipboard, "You're William's daughter? Correct?"

"Yes" Lixella stated simply

"You are his _only_ child?"

"Yes"

"and when was the last time you saw your father, William?"

"At his funeral" Lixella said, "he was buried alongside my mother, Altria."

"and that was the last time you heard of him?" Umbridge inquired suspiciously, "from anyone?"

"Yes" said Lixella, "he was dead…and should still be dead."

"and, your cousin, Arthus Cruxshade" Umbridge questioned, "when did you last hear from him?"

"Last Christmas" said Lixella, "during the Malfoy's holiday party."

"Have you seen or heard from him since then?"

"No"

"More tea, dear?" Umbridge scooted the cup closer to her once more. Studying her face in suspicion. "It is rude to refuse such a kind gesture" Lixella took the cup once more, pretending to swallow more tea.

"Do you know Harry Potter?" Umbridge questioned, watching Lixella's expression closely.

"Yes" Lixella stated plainly

"When was the last time you talked to him?"

"Last May…at Hogwart's. Just before school let out."

"you didn't finish out that school year" Umbridge read from her papers, "why is that, dear?"

Lixella stared at her, smiling politely. This was a trick question. Umbridge knew very well that Lixella had helped with the murder of Albus Dumbledore. However, since Voldemort existed under hushed tones, Lixella couldn't give herself away. She could not merely state that she was a death eater. Umbridge smiled politely at her, thinking that she had won. Lixella grinned slyly, she wasn't going to be tricked by this woman so easily.

"My life was threatened" said Lixella

"by who, dear?" Umbridge said, leaning in a bit closer.

"Voldemort" Lixella stated with a sly smile.

Umbridge's expression fell into a frown for a second. "Why would you leave the protection of Hogwarts, if your life was threatened by Voldemort?" she asked, looking upset.

"I left once Albus Dumbledore was killed" stated Lixella, "My family knew that without him there, Hogwarts was no longer safe. So, they took me out of school, and brought me home."

Umbridge exhaled sharply, staring at Lixella angrily. She knew that she wasn't going to get anything out of this girl. Lixella just sat, smiling up at her. It was frustrating her, the way that Lixella almost mocked her intelligence. She got up, adjusted her overcoat, and stepped out of the doorway. When she returned she was accompanied by Yaxley and Larz.

"Since you seem to be wanting to refuse my kindness" Umbridge said, "I'll just have to use other means of interrogation. You're lying, dear…and we need the information from you."

"Are you going to use the curciatus curse on me?" Lixella asked

"No…" Umbridge motioned to Yaxley and Larz, who proceeded to step on either side of her. "I'll be using…other, means of interrogation. Larz, please hold Miss Cruxshade down." Larz recited a spell, and ropes wrapped around Lixella's waist, pinning her to the chair. "For every time you lie to me, Lixella…I will have to punish you, until you get the message. Yaxley, you know what to do"

Lixella stared at Umbridge in disbelief, her heart racing with fear. What could possibly be worse than the cruciatus curse?

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><p>Dum dum duuuuuum! cliffhanger...woo hoo!<p>

See you guys in Parchment 14!

Thanks for reading, and send me a review ^_^

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Poor Narcissa, unable to tell anyone that she knows! That woman goes through so much! Lixella might be returning to Hogwarts, but not as a going back to school thing. I want her to go back, but I haven't worked out how to do that yet.

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: Yes! Lixella and Nym are so much like Fred and George, I wanted them to be just as amusing! As for the trip to Lunareth, I am sorry but it appears that a twist has blocked their way XD

Thanks for reading, see you all in Parchment 14...happy travels!


	14. Parchment 14: Liar

Dear god this chapter is long! I warn you guys, this is going to be a rather long story. We aren't even into most of the good stuff yet!

Thank you for your support up to this point, the reviews have been lovely, also all of the favorites!

So, read on, and enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 14: Liar

"Your father, Lixella" said Umbridge, "where is he?"

"I told you" said Lixella, "he's dead…lying in the ground, in my backyard!"

Umbridge nodded to Yaxley and turned away. "Try not to scream, darling" she said in a polite voice, "It'll only make it worse."

Yaxley pointed his wand to Lixella's right arm. There was no flash of light, no sudden burst of pain. Instead, Lixella began wincing in pain, as he made a deep clean cut across her forearm. Blood began dripping from the wound, and Umbridge's back was still turned. She tried to hold back sobs, not wanting to give Umbridge the satisfaction. "Where is your cousin, Lixella?" she asked.

"I don't know" Lixella said through gritted teeth.

Umbridge made a motion with her hand, and Larz brought over a bottle of alcohol. "you're making me resort to muggle methods, Lixella" said Umbridge, "and I was so nice to begin with."

Larz poured the contents of the bottle over Lixella's newly cut wound. The contact between the alcohol and her bare flesh, caused Lixella's spine to stiffen up. "your father, Lixella" she questioned further, "I know you've seen him. Where is he?"

Lixella hung her head, panting from the amount of burning pain in her arm. "I…don't…know" she muttered, tears forming in her eyes. She wasn't going to give in this easily. Yaxley made another cut to her arm, and Larz proceeded to pour the alcohol over it. Lixella peered over, after throwing a fit in the chair. On her arm, was a bloody wound in the shape of an "L".

"The veritaserum worked so well for the others" said Umbridge, "I was even able to get a conversation out of Narcissa. She was a bit hesitant, but she eventually came around. It appears…" she turned around, and glanced to Lixella's arm. She looked down at Lixella with pity in her eyes, "It appears that you require special punishing, Lixella."

Lixella let out a squeal of pain as the alcohol was poured over her arm once more.

* * *

><p>Several floors down, Nym was sneaking out of the Muggle-born delivery room. She was trying to navigate her way through the halls of the ministry, hoping that no one would see her. She knew that this was no place for her to be. If she was caught, the people here wouldn't hesitate to take her in for questioning. Most people would be scared out of their minds in such a situation as hers. However, Nym adored moments such as these. They gave her life excitement, and the chance to face a challenge.<p>

She relished the feeling of butterflies in her stomach, as she stepped into the elevator. "I'm sorry" she said to the elevator worker, "I was here with my uncle. He told me to meet him by the exits. I've never been here before, so I can't find my way back. Could you take me there?"

The elevator worker nodded, and pressed a button on the wall. Just as the golden gate was about to close, two older gentlemen walked in. "To the courtroom please" said one of them. He was tall, with a long mane of black hair. His face was sharp looking, with heavy lidded eyes.

"Why are you going to the courtrooms, Linux?" asked the other man. He was shorter, with lighter hair and a pudgey face.

"Well, Crete, my daughter has been pretending to be a mudblood again" said Linux

"Jynx?" asked Crete with a chuckle, "I swear Linux, your daughter is one strange girl."

"That she is…" he responded, "anyways, I'm going to have to go retrieve her. She was apparently scooped up by the Carrows at her school, after flaunting her fake blood status."

Nym listened with confusion. Who, in their right mind, would pretend to be muggle-born, in times like these? This Jynx girl sounded positively insane to her. She smiled broadly, wishing that she could meet Jynx in person.

"_The Muggle-born Registration Commission_" sounded a disembodied voice. The golden gate swung open, and the gentlemen named Linux stepped out. Just as he did, a burly looking man stepped in, and began eyeing Nym. He reached a large hand out, and dragged her out of the elevator. Nym struggled, trying to free herself from his grasp. "I recognize you, girly" said the burly man, "You're one of those little mudbloods from the list! Glad to know you finally made it here!"

"Let go of me!" Nym shouted, tugging at the man's arm.

He was too strong for her, she couldn't get out of his grasp. He led her down a hallway, into a large room. There were many other people in this room, and each of them looked less than happy to be there. The man shoved Nym into the only open seat. "You stay here" he said through an evil grin, "an' play nicely with your new friends!"

Nym bit his arm as he pulled away. The man removed his wand, ready to cast a curse on her. Just then, the girl next to her sprang up and punched him in the face.

"Go on!" she shouted to the man, "Get out o' 'ere! There ain't notin' more you can do to her!"

The man grunted, "I'll just go tell your daddy that you're here, Miss Spakerton!" The man wiped the blood from his nose, and walked off. Nym turned to her rescuer. She was a tall girl, with a small figure, and a mane of black hair. It was a masterpiece of hair, that curtained over one eye, and cascaded down to her waist. She sat down next to Nym, and extended her hand.

"Jynx Spakerton" she said, "Nice ta meet ya!"

"Nym Muse" Nym shook her hand, "Pleasure's all mine!"

"you got a lot a nerve, girl" said Jynx, "I ain't nevah seen anyone bite a Ministry official before!"

"Yeah, well…"said Nym, "I don't like people treating me like crap. If they think they can get away with discriminating against me, they've got another thing coming!"

Jynx let out a loud laugh, "Good attitude ya got there! I really like people 'oo can stick up fa themselves!"

"Well, I think there aren't enough people fighting back" said Nym

" 'ang on, Nym Muse" Jynx searched through her memories, trying to figure out where she'd heard the name before. "do ya know a girl by tha name o' Lixella Cruxshade?"

"She's only my best friend!" Nym said with a smile

"Well, I'll be a right spiffy loon" said Jynx, "I've 'eard stories about you, mate. Nevah thought I'd get ta meet ya though!"

"You…"Nym said in shock, "You know Lixella?"

"She was only tha best Slytherin I've evah met!" beamed Jynx

"Wait…"Nym paused, "Jynx Spakerton…I thought I recognized that name from somewhere. You're the wonderfully rebellious Slytherin girl! Lixella wasn't lying when she said you had a masterpiece of a mane!"

"Aw, thanks, I try an' keep it lookin' nice!" Jynx ran a hand through her hair

The two of them spent a good few minutes relaying stories to each other. They both knew quite a bit about their shenanigans in school. Jynx couldn't have been happier to have finally met Nym Muse; and Nym was positively delighted to be in her presence.

"Can you believe they're dating now?" Nym said through boughts of laughter

"I know…" said Jynx, "He's such a blubbering troglodyte!"

Nym laughed at the absurdity of this girl's speech. She had no idea what a blubbering troglodyte was, but it seemed to fit Draco very well. "Yeah" she said, laughing, "he is!"

Linux Spakerton came striding down the hall, around the corner, ready to scold his daughter. Jynx peered around and watched in fear, knowing that if she left, Nym would be taken into questioning for sure.

"Here" she said, shoving an orange chunk into Nym's hand. "I brought them for a quick getaway, incase I couldn't get miself out. I t'ink you need it more, it's a…"

"I know…" said Nym, she swallowed the orange chunk. Her features changed slightly, her hair grew a few inches, and her nose became smaller. Her cheekbones lowered a bit, and her jaw became more pointed. Jynx nodded at her in approval.

"young lady!" shouted Linux as he approached his daughter, "how many times do I have to tell you to keep that awful habit of yours in check!"

"Sorry, dad " said Jynx, rolling her eyes

Another man walked up behind him. He looked over to Nym, puzzled, "Are you Nym Muse?" he asked.

"No" said Nym quickly, "My name's…"

"This is mi friend…" said Jynx, "Eliza! She came ta get me out o' 'ere."

"Eliza Mageling, sir" said Nym, in her best accent, "I'm not supposed to be here, really. I came to escort Jynx back to school. The headmaster threw a fit once he'd found out that she was brought here. Clearly there's been a misunderstanding."

"Mageling, eh?" the man asked, scrolling through a few papers, "Related to Mickey Mageling?"

Nym swallowed hard, "He's my cousin, sir" she said politey. "He lives in America, just outside of Sleepy Hollow. We don't talk much, seeing as I live all the way over here, in England."

"Alright then…" the man said, peering down at her, "You don't appear to be on this list. Have a nice day, all of you. Good to see you again, Linux!"

With a nod and a smile, he walked away. Jynx winked to Nym, and they both got up from their chairs.

"Eliza…" said Linux, "It's nice to meet you. I don't meet many of Jynx's friends from school. What house are you in?"

"Ravenclaw, sir" said Nym, "it was my mother's house"

Jynx was thoroughly impressed by this girl. Not only was Nym a particularly good liar, she could also do a spot on British accent. It was hard to tell that Nym was terrified by everything at that moment. But, then again, Nym lived for moments like these. Moments when she was able to act like a heroine in an adventure book. She chased after things like this, hiding in plain sight. It was one of the few things that made her feel alive.

* * *

><p>"You may go now, Lixella" Umbridge said in a high voice, "Yaxley, please escort her out!"<p>

Lixella didn't say a word as Larz removed the ropes around her. She glanced over to Umbridge as she stood up, staring at her with a disgusted look. Yaxley took her arm, and ushered her out of the room. He lead her across the hallway, back into the waiting room, and closed the door behind him. Everyone stared at her as she entered. Her head was hung low. Light tears dotted her face. She didn't want anyone to know what had happened. Quietly, she sat down next to Draco. "you okay?" he asked, pushing her hair back behind her ears. Lixella nodded, not wanting to bring anything up. She shifted in her seat, and grabbed onto her right arm, wincing slightly. "What did she do, Lixella?" he asked. Lixella simply shook her head, holding back tears. The familiar feeling of rage welled up inside of him. Umbridge had done something to hurt her, and he wasn't going to let her get away with it. "Let me see your arm" he said, Lixella slowly extended her right arm to him.

Everyone's expression went from curious to appalled as Draco pulled up her sleeve. There, marked in dried red blood, and spotted with white hot skin, was the word, "LIAR".

"That _vial_ woman" spat aunt Iris, "Is that legal? Surely she can't treat someone like that? Nonetheless a young girl!"

"That woman is mad…"said Narcissa, "I am so sorry, Lixella."

"I will not stand for having my niece treated this way!" shouted uncle Zander, hitting a fist against the arm of his chair.

Draco merely entwined his fingers with Lixella's, holding her hand tightly. He inhaled sharply, and stared coldly at the floor. Once again, someone had hurt her, and he wasn't there to stop them. Anger welled up inside of him as the doorknob clicked, and Umbridge walked into the room.

"You…"uncle Zander shot out of his chair, "you can't treat her like this! These methods of interrogation are illegal! I'll have you thrown in Azka…"

"Actually, Mr. Cruxshade" Umbridge interrupted, "In accordance with the new criminal inquiry act…should anyone hold back information, I am allowed the right to use whatever means necessary." Zander sat back in his seat, glaring at Umbridge. She turned to Lixella, smiling politely. It was as if she thought that nothing bad had just happened. Umbridge couldn't see herself as the bad guy, it simply wasn't in her nature. Lixella looked away, she didn't want Umbridge to see any flicker of defeat on her face.

"How _dare _you touch her…"spat Draco, his eyes glaring at Umbridge like daggers.

"As I'm sure you've heard me say before, Draco…" she stated plainly, "Naughty children deserve to be punished."

"This isn't punishment" he said coldly, "It's mutilation!"

"Well…" Umbridge sighed, "Lixella wouldn't accept my polite offers…"

"Polite offers?" he shouted, standing up, "What else did you do? Besides cut her to pieces!"

"I did nothing more than what was necessary" Umbridge's tone picked up, "Thanks to me, I now know that there are two traitors in this room. One of which, has been branded as such!"

"I'll brand something on you…" Draco said, removing his wand.

"Sit down, Draco" demanded Lucius

"How dare you pull your wand on a ministry official!" said Umbridge in shock

"You're an insult to that title" Draco said coldly

"I should have you thrown in Azkaban" stated Umbridge, "A traitor as well"

She pulled her wand out, and pointed it towards Draco. He readied himself for anything she was about to cast. That was, until a loud thump came from across the room, breaking the tension.

"Enough…" said Elmira, hitting her cane on the ground, and standing up from her seat. She stood tall and intimidating, her head held high. "I've heard just about enough out of you." She pointed to Umbridge, "You come in here, accusing both of these families of being traitors. Do you know who you are talking to? Do you realize what two families you have sitting in this room?" she glared at Umbridge in disgust. "Traitors…I've never been so insulted in all of my life. After what you've done to my granddaughter today…after seeing the terrible piece of work you've left on her lovely skin." Lixella gave a small smile. She had no idea that her grandmother cared about her this much. "You aren't half as brave as she has been today" Elmira scolded, "and after seeing all of this…well, I am questioning the direction that the ministry is headed in." Umbridge stood still, completely speechless. Elmira kept eye contact, standing with authority. "I can assure you, miss, that no one in here is deserving of what you've put them through. Specifically my granddaughter. Now, I believe you have graced us with your insolence for long enough. Good day Miss."

Umbridge stared at her, filled with insult. "I never…"

"I said…"Elmira stepped closer, "Good day, Madame"

Umbridge let out a squeak of annoyance, and left in a fuss. Lixella stared up at her grandmother. For the first time in her life, she was truly in admiration of the woman. Draco was still standing, glaring holes through the door as Umbridge left. Lixella simply lifted her hand, and wrapped it around his wrist. His head shot around, until his eyes met hers.

"Sit…"she muttered softly, "please"

Draco sat back down, and took her hand again. Lixella nodded to her grandmother, "Thank you" she said quietly.

"I wouldn't stand by and let someone insult my granddaughter like that" said Elmira, "you aren't deserving of this treatment, Lixella. Nor is your father, whether he be alive or dead. Now, I am going back to the winter home in France. I suggest that the rest of you get home as well. It was lovely meeting you all!" she nodded to the Malfoys

"A pleasure as well" said Narcissa

"I hope that, if we do meet again, it will be under less unbelievable circumstances."

Lixella stood up and hugged her grandmother, "Good Bye Grandmama" she said.

"I am very proud of you, Lixella…and I'm sure your parents would be too." she turned to Draco, "Do keep an eye on my granddaughter, won't you?"

"Of course, ma'am" Draco nodded

"Anyone who is courageous enough to stand up for my granddaughter like that, is certainly deserving of her. I suggest you keep this one, Lixella…he's quickly becoming my favorite…"

"I will" said Lixella with a smile.

After hugging uncle Zander and aunt Iris, Elmira left the room. Lixella stared back down at her arm. There was so much wrong with it's current appearance. Aside from her newly cut scars, the veins were still blackened. She glanced over to her left arm, remembering the dark mark. She suddenly caught her reflection in the glass frame of a picture across the room. Her face was still dotted with markings from her attack. She felt like some old soldier, adorning new battle scars. It seemed harder, nowadays, to keep her skin unblemished. It was as if something was waiting for her around every corner, waiting to attack her. She wondered, suddenly, if it had been this hard for her mother and father. Had they gone through similar problems?

"He's really alive…"she muttered, not caring if anyone heard her

"Yes, Lixella" said Narcissa, "he really is"

The room became dreadfully silent. Everyone's gazes shifted from Lixella to Narcissa. It was hard for any of them to accept that William was alive, and on the run. They just sat there, pondering as to what they would do if they ever found him. All of them were unsure. Not a single person could honestly say that they would go by Voldemort's orders, and kill William. Lixella could only hope that she would never run into her dad. He would just have to run, as far away as possible. She couldn't let him find her, or he would be doomed for sure.

* * *

><p>Nym followed close behind Jynx and Linux. She had been carrying on a conversation about Harry Potter. Nym didn't know much of Harry Potter, other than what she'd read in the papers. However, Nym seldom ever believed anything that the news told her. It seemed that no matter what, the stories always seemed twisted. They reached the floo system, that so many people used as the entrance to the Ministry. Nym wasn't sure what to do at this point, she wasn't planning on going back to Hogwarts. She had to devise a plan. Just as she was about to make an excuse, Linux turned around and extended a hand to her.<p>

"I suppose this is where I leave you" he said, Nym stared at him, dumbfounded. "Nym Muse, isn't it?"

"How did you know, sir?" she asked, wide eyed

"I know the kinds of people my daughter befriends." Jynx winked at her dad, "A Mageling is not one of them. Don't worry, I'm not going to sell you out to the Ministry. It's all about keeping up appearances. I am just glad that I could save at least one magnificent witch today. It has been an pleasure meeting you, Miss Muse."

Nym took his hand and shook it, "The pleasure is all mine, sir."

"Keep up the fight, girl" said Linux, "Lord knows we need more witches like you around here."

"It was great meetin' ya" said Jynx, extending her hand as well. "Really, I nevah tough' tha' I would get ta actually meet the famous Nym, from Lixella's stories!"

"You too" said Nym, shaking her hand, "I'm really glad I could finally meet Jynx Spakerton. Thank you both, so much!"

They waved goodbye and stepped into the floo system. Nym stood for a second, staring at the green flames. She was beaming with happiness. In the past few weeks, she had had more adventures than she could fit in an entire lifetime. Nym wasn't sure if she ever wanted to go home. She might just run around, going on amazing journeys with Lixella, forever. She knew at least one thing was for sure. The world had certainly become less boring to her.

She glanced around, suddenly remembering that she hadn't come here alone. There were large groups of witches and wizards, all making their ways to various places. Nym wasn't sure when she would see Lixella again, or if she should wait for her. The fireplace just sat in front of her, questioning her next movements. Surely, she could just leave now, return to the Duskwood estate, and wait for Lixella. After all, she had to return eventually.

"I think I've had enough fun for today…I guess" she entered the fireplace, and shouted her destination. The many witches and wizards around her stared at the fireplace. It wasn't common for someone to shout their destination so loudly. However, none of them knew Nym Muse very well.

* * *

><p>Lixella walked down the familiar hallways of the Ministry. She was finally going to leave this confusing day behind her. She glanced down at her arm, Draco was holding her hand, and refused to let go of it. In complete honesty, she didn't mind. Something strange had happened in the past few days. He had changed, slightly. It was as if he were finally finding a direction to go in. However, Lixella couldn't help but wonder if he was still as indecisive.<p>

She hated that he couldn't choose a side, but at the same time, she sort of admired it. He couldn't choose one side, because he valued both. He wanted to be on Harry's side, and put the world back the way it was. However, he was stuck, just like Lixella, on the wrong side. Not only him, but most of the people he cared about. Lixella was more than ready to leave her relatives behind, and chase after a victory against Voldemort. Draco, however, couldn't leave his family behind. He had to stay where he was.

"Well, this has been a very, terrible day" said uncle Zander as they reached the fireplaces. "I will leave you to your mission, Lixella. I know you'll be fine!"

"Good luck, dear" aunt Iris said, pulling her into a hug, "Please don't get mauled by anymore werewolves. We do very much like you in one piece!"

Lixella laughed at her aunt's choice of words, and hugged back.

"Do try to be home before Christmas" said uncle Zander, "We don't want you spending the holidays alone in your house."

"Yes, sir" she said, hugging her uncle. She waved them both goodbye, hoping to see them soon.

"No" Draco argued with his mother, "I am not going back to school. There is no reason for me to spend my time there!"

He had been arguing this same standpoint with his parents since they'd left the waiting room. Lixella just chuckled. She knew that he was fighting a losing battle. She also knew that the only real reason he was reluctant to return to Hogwarts, was because he had suddenly become over-protective of her. She watched as he bickered with his parents.

"You _will_ be going back, Draco" scolded Lucius

"I can't believe you left in the first place" said Narcissa, "How did you even get off of the grounds?"

"I'm not telling you that" he shook his head

Lixella was a bit curious as to how he'd done it. Surely the discipline on students had strengthened since Snape had become headmaster. However, there were always ways out of Hogwarts. Lixella knew of a few secret passages, the fireplace in the headmaster's office, and then there was the familiar possibility of the vanishing cabinet. It must have been complicated for him to get away from school. Lixella was almost touched that he would risk getting in trouble, just to go see her.

"Draco, go back to school" she said, he turned around in shock

"No…"he said, "you might get attacked again. I have to…"

"I'll be fine" she said, his expression fell. "I have to go the rest of the way on my own" She pulled him into a hug. Then, she leaned up and kissed him.

"Fine…"he said in defeat, "I'll go back. But you'd better be back here soon…and alive!"

"I think I can keep that promise" she said, backing into the fireplace, "It was wonderful to see you all again" she nodded to Narcissa and Lucius. She then recited her destination, and was swept up by the green flames, headed home.

* * *

><p>Woo...that took a while to proof read!<p>

Hope you guys enjoyed it, I'll post the next one as soon as I can ^_^

here begins the long list of review responses:

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: I is sorry about he trip t Lunareth, but don't fret, we will get there ^_^ Umbitch...haha, me and my friends just call her dumbitch XD and thank you, I'm glad that you enjoy it so much! I'm here to entertain :D

RaineAmorial: excrutiating torture it is! of course, that seems to be a favorite of Umbridge's!and thank you, your reviews are always fun to read!

Lily: Right! that woman is an insult to the color pink!

DizzyPotter: it's okay, it wouldn't let me log in for a while...so mean! anyways, about chapter 11, I'm glad you like it because I was questioning putting the scandalous stuff in there XD as for missing Jynx, here's a small dose of her...i miss her too!as for chapter 13 PLEASE COME BACK TO LIFE NOW! I fell out of my chair laughing at this review lol XD thansk for the review...I really enjoyed reading all of them ^_^

DizziPenn: tattle-tale cats...stupid cats...I hate cats...and ceramic kitten plates...ugh *shudders* creepy! and the way they must talk to Umbridge...MEOW MEOW MEOW! what's that tibbles, you say that neon-pandar is in my office, and she's breaking my plates? OH NOES!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: I shall! and thanks for the review ^_^

altissimorangerocks: hehe, well it wasn't writing lines, just the scarring. I come up with all of this by consulting the purple cat taht lives in my brain, he's an original bloke! XD as for a third book, it's a maybe, just because I am enjoying this so much...but I honestly have no idea what I would write about!

By the way... thank you guys! I haven't really thanked all of you...seriously! Because of this fanfiction, I am so much more entertained. Imagine me as being Nym, and this fanfic is keeping me from boredom! all because of you guys, so thank you! I never imagined that so many people would like this so much!


	15. Parchment 15: The White Willow Wand

Hehehe...you guys thought I cancelled the Lunareth trip! No!

So, in honor of me finishing midterms, here is a new chapter all about Lunareth ^_^

I'd like to thank teh lovely reviews ont eh last chapter, and also mrsronaldweasley1997 for the favorites!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 15: The Willow Wand

Nym woke to a rather bright light outside, squinting her eyes she could make out the sunlight pouring through the dusty window. She grunted, and pulled the covers farther over her head. However, her plans of napping further were foiled as the covers came flying off of her. She gasped, and grabbed onto her torso, shivering in the sudden chill of the room.

"Up!" Lixella yelled, "we've got a big day today!"

She went over to the window, unhinged the lock, and opened it, taking in the new morning smells. Nym grunted, and rolled out of bed with a thud. This caused a few floor boards to cough up dust.

"You know" said Nym, "for as much a night as this place is…it's pretty crappy."

They had been staying in the Foxtail Inn for a day so far. It was a shabby Inn, that was located in Salem's Hollow. It was small, with one bed and a lovely little view of Novalian Avenue, the American equivalent of Diagon Alley. The ceiling and windows, however, seemed to have been neglected by the house keepers. The whole place seemed to have lost it's luster since Voldemort took over. Even the usual sparkling shops of Novalian avenue were closed and boarded up.

"Did you see Madame McClure's wand shop, yesterday?" asked Nym, picking up her luggage bag, "It was in shambles! So was the companion store…all those poor animals, do you think they're okay?"

"Who knows?" said Lixella, staring at the broken shops, "Even Quiggleton Quidditch Supplies is closed." She turned back to Nym, sighing heavily, "The only shop that seems to be doing well is Luman's Iniquities."

"Yeah" Nym said bitterly, "They would be open…American Death eaters gotta get their dark arts supply from somewhere I suppose."

Lixella cleared her throat loudly, giving Nym an insulted look.

"Sorry" Nym mumbled, rolling her eyes

It was strange, thinking that Voldemort's grasps for power were reaching all the way into America. Then again, he was the most feared wizard of all time for a reason.

"So, how far are we from Lunasady?" asked Nym

"A few hours" replied Lixella

Lunasady was the wizard city that surrounded Lunareth. Unlike Hogsmeade, which was just down the hill, Lunasady revolved around Lunareth. The students were the ones who kept the city alive and thriving. The shop owners catered to student tastes and fads. Shops could change in a instant, depending on the current style of the younger generation. After all, the merchants in Lunasady made their living off of the students' pocket money.

"It really sucks that you can't apparate" said Lixella, "we would've been there a hell of a lot faster."

She zipped up her messenger bag and threw it across her chest.

"Yeah, well…" said Nym, "I'd rather fly than risk getting splinched. Couldn't you side-along apparate me?"

"I can't say that will keep you from splinching"

"Nevermind then…"

With their bags packed they headed out of the door, and into the musty hallway. The morning light was pouring through dusty windows. Downstairs smelled of beer and hot food. There was hardly anyone in the Foxtail Inn. The lack of people scared Lixella, but it meant less people to recognize Nym. They mounted their brooms and made their way through the air.

To Lixella and Nym, a broomstick was the most comfortable feeling in the world. Nym adored flying. To her, it felt like freedom. It was as if she was defying gravity, laughing at the laws of nature. When she was flying, she truly felt alive. To Lixella, a broom merely reminded her of her mother. The two of them used to spend hours flying together. Her mother had taught her how to ride sidesaddle on a broomstick. Most people would fall off from doing this, but her mother was an expert. Being on her Dawndrifter 2005 was like being home. She also had this strange obsession with floating. For some odd reason, the feeling of being weightless, was the epitome of peaceful.

The sunlight of the new dawn gave the clouds a golden tint. Both of them rode on, admiring the lovely view of the green world, as it passed below them. After a few hours of flying, they landed in the small town of Lunasady. It was a quaint town, that made a complete circle around a large iron and red brick gate. Inside of this iron and red brick gate, were the Lunareth school grounds. The streets of Lunasady were made of cobble and lined with shops. Today was a Saturday, which meant that the students of Lunareth were looking for an escape from their schoolwork. Lixella and Nym had come at a good time.

"Oh…can we go to Tipsy Turvey?" asked Nym, pointing to the pub, "I would just adore a butterbeer right now! And I bet everyone is there…I would love to see them!"

"No, Nym" Lixella sighed, pushing through a crowd of street vendors.

"What about the Jester's den?" she said, eyeing a lovely display of Polynesian poppers in the joke shop window.

"No, Nym…"Lixella grabbed her hand, and dragged her farther down the winding street. "We have to get to Misenchantment's"

Misenchantment's was the old enchanting store. They used to have shelves of enchanting kits. However, around five years ago the shop owners disappeared. They vanished, leaving the place in perfect condition. Lixella stumbled across the shop in their third year, when she was looking for a place to hide. It had a nice passageway into Lunareth, that lead out behind the greenhouse.

They reached the broken shop, and peered through the dusty window pane. It was still empty inside. Boxes littered the dirty wooden floor. The whole shop smelled of mothballs and dust. The two girls made their way behind the faded wooden counters, and into the basement.

"_Lumos_" Lixella chanted, and a light emitted form her wand.

The basement looked just as old as the store. It was cold, with a leaky ceiling, and cinderblock walls. They walked over to the far left hand corner of the room, avoiding the old pipes that ran to the upstairs. Eventually they reached a large wooden wardrobe. Lixella opened it, and tapped her wand on the wooden back three times. The back of the wardrobe opened like doors, revealing a long black passage. The two of them climbed in, following the black stone pathway. Every now and then they would walk beneath a storm drain, or a vent. They made sure to keep their volume hushed. Neither of them could risk getting caught. Nym was wanted for muggle-born trials, and was "missing" according to her parents. Lixella wasn't even supposed to be in America, none the less at her old school. To the Mystical congress, and the Magical Bureau, the two girls weren't supposed to be near each other.

Lixella reached forward for a wooden ladder. She and Nym climbed upward, and pushed the black iron drain open. They exited the passageway, and stood for a second, admiring the school grounds. Lunareth had a large campus, with many buildings. Unlike Hogwart's, which was a castle, Lunareth was located on the grounds of an old American university. Each building held a different variety of classes. Each of them had their departments. The buildings were built out of red brick, and finished with fine architectural detailing. The planetarium was located behind the dean's building. It was the only thing that looked out of place. It was a tall white tower, that held up a glass dome. At night, the glass would illuminate different lined patterns, to match the constellations. It also contained a large telescope; as well as several solar, lunar, and astrological maps. Nym and Lixella used to use the Planetarium as their secret hideaway. Hardly anyone went up there, because of the extreme height. But, that didn't stop Nym and Lixella, nothing ever did.

The two girls made their way across the green lawn, and down Trinity street. It was a long, straight road that cut through the entire Lunareth campus, and split into three directions. The left road lead to the Magnificent Mess hall. The middle road lead to the deans tower, and the planetarium. The right road lead off towards a thick tree covered pathway, that let out into the Wandering Woods. The Wandering Woods was a feeding ground for negative spirits and generally dangerous beasts. This was why the Department of Dark Art Studies, was located next to it's entrance.

In the middle of this crossroad was a lovely brick-made picture of the Lunareth school emblem. It was a white crescent moon, hanging in a blackened night sky, with a blue star in the middle of it. On the crest of this moon, sat an elegant looking black cat. This symbol was encircled and surrounded by the four houses; these were, the Venomix black widow, the Mothwing luna moth, the Canius grey wolf, and the Fowlgos canadian goose. Each with their respective colors. Venomix in crimson and black, Mothwing in purple and teal, Canius in gold and royal blue, and Fowlgos in grey and orange.

"Oh I wish we could visit Mothwing" said Nym as they passed the dormitories, "I do desperately miss everyone in there!"

"Yes" sighed Lixella, "Me too…but they can't know that we're here."

The dorm houses in Lunareth were not as well concealed as the ones in Hogwarts. This was mostly due to the fact that the school grounds were an old university campus. But, in similarity, each house had it's own special location. The most obvious being the Venomix house, located in an ebony stone tower, next to the Wandering Woods. Canius house was located in a brick highrise across the campus, with a lovely view of the quidditch pitch. Mothwing was located in the most vacant lot, in what looked like a limestone belltower, with an open ceiling that revealed the stars at night. And, finally, Fowlgos was located in the middle of campus, in a humble brick hut, near the greenhouse.

The two girls made their way down Trinity street, towards the Magical History Building. It was a tall circular brick building, with four floors, and a black pointed roof. On the third floor, was the Department of Wand Lore. Inside of the building were several classrooms, circled around what looked like a wooden bird cage. They stepped into the wooden birdcage and pulled a steel lever halfway down. The wooden birdcage then ascended into the air, and stopped at the second floor. They stepped out and began their search along the circular hallway.

"237..."Lixella read off the door plaques, "236...235...here we are, 234. Professor Joshian Wynchester, Wand Lore and Studies"

"It should say Wand Lore and Badassery" said Nym, "He is the best teacher at this school."

It was true. Professor Wynchester had a wonderful reputation with the student body. He was head of Canius house, and for good reason. His classes were always entertaining, and he taught his students with devotion and respect. Nym and Lixella adored him, because he treated them like intellectuals, instead of like grade school children, the way Stratoscope did.

"he did used to tell us we should be in his house" said Lixella, knocking on the door

"He'll always be my favorite professor" replied Nym

The doorway clicked open, and a suave looking man stood at the doorway. He was a man of average height, and appeared to be in his early 30s. His brown hair sat in a James Dean style atop his head. His jaw was squared off, complimenting his well chiseled features. His powder blue eyes were creased due to his devilishly handsome smile. Lixella and Nym almost sighed, it was hard to deny that Professor Wynchester was gorgeous.

"Lixella…" he said, as if talking to an old friend, "and Nym Muse? Well I'll be…where have you two girls been!"

"England…" squeaked Lixella, getting lost in his blue eyes

"Trapped at home" Nym huffed

"Skipping school?" he asked, grinning

"No…" they both replied

"Just caught in different worlds, ya know?" said Lixella

"It's definintely hard to separate you two" Professor Wynchester opened the door wider, "come in…come in. It's darned good to see you girls, the year has been so boring without you two here!

The two girls made their way into the curved office. Inside was a wooden desk, surrounded by piles of papers, as well as several stacks of books. Professor Wynchester was obviously not the most organized man. Gold and royal blue riddled the office room, in the form of the Canius house symbol.

"How has Stratoscope been doing?" asked Lixella, taking a seat in one of the office chairs.

"She's been a real nasty woman without you two here to put her in her place…I'll tell you that much" Professor Wynchester replied, removing a few papers from his desk.

"Yeah, I bet she misses us, terribly" said Nym, rolling her eyes

"She's running the school with an iron grip" said Professor Wynchester, "Not to mention I'm pretty sure that she's hired a few death eaters."

Lixella pulled her left jacket sleeve a bit lower down her arm.

"But why are you two here?" he asked, "I know for a fact that you're supposed to be at Hogwarts, Lixella. I can understand skipping class to visit family, but I never thought you'd skip school just to come see me!"

"Of course we would!" said Nym, grabbing onto the desk, "You're the best teacher here!"

"I'm flattered" said Professor Wynchester, "really I am…but all the way across the ocean? and you Nym. Aren't your parents supposed to be keeping you at home this year?"

Nym slumped back into her chair, "yeah well" she sighed, "it's not like I very much want to be there."

Professor Wynchester gave a loud and hearty laugh, "Of course.." he sighed, "I doubted that they could keep Nym Muse locked up. That's like trying to cage a wildfire!"

"precisely!" squeaked Nym, "see _you_ get it, Professor, why doesn't anyone else get it?"

"And you, Lixella" he turned to her, "why are you not in school?"

"Well sir" she said, "it's quite a long story. I'm not sure if I can tell you all of it."

"Oh…" he leaned in a bit closer, "juicy secrets? You can trust me…who do you think you're talking to? Professor Vix?"

Irene Vix was the dueling teacher and head of the defensive department. She was a strict woman, and highly judgmental. She valued very specific kinds of students, namely those who she thought could make their way in the world. The students who achieved through cunning, and harsh studying were often her favorites. She was head of the Venomix house, and thus was Professor Wynchester's unspoken rival.

Lixella glanced over to Nym, who gave her a nod and smiled. She then proceeded to explain the story of her family history in thrilling detail. However, she decided to leave out a few parts, such as Voldemort and the fact that she was a death eater. Professor Wynchester watched the two of them relay the story, like a child watches a thrilling Quidditch match. Once they were done, he sat back, taking it all in for a second.

"I've read up on your family, Lixella" he stared at the two of them, "but I never thought that any of it was _actually_ true!"

He banged his hand on the table, and began laughing again. "I will _never_ understand why you two weren't put into my house! Honestly, your amount of courage, and thirst for adventure…you would've done so well in Canius! Damn shame!"

"Yeah…" Nym looked down at the floor, she couldn't deny that she had a special place in her heart for Canius house. It had always been her second choice. But, her quirky attitude, and massive hidden intellect, was the whole reason that she was in Mothwing.

"Banshees…"Professor Wynchester shook his head, "seriously, I didn't see that one coming! I always knew you two girls were meant to be legendary! But, why are you asking for my help? I mean, I'm a wonderful man to come to, don't get me wrong…but I don't know the first thing about Banshees."

Lixella removed her wand, and set it on the table in front of him.

"Do you remember this, Professor?" she said

Professor Wynchester picked up the white willow wand, and turned it around in his hands a few times. He admired the spiraling head, and the intricately carved handle.

"Ah…" he sighed, "I remember this one…this was one of my favorite pieces. I remember the day you came to choose yours out. I was surprised, seeing as I hardly have a name in the wand making business. But, your grandmother insisted that you come to me…saying that only I could make it correctly."

"It's a willow wand professor" started Lixella, "just like the tree behind my house, the one that belongs to the banshees. I was wondering if the wood came from that tree?"

"Always the clever one, Lixella" he said, placing the wand on the desk, "yes, it does in fact come from that tree. Your grandmother brought me a branch one day, told me that I had to make your wand. Apparently Madame McClure and Ollivander refused to specially make a wand. They believe that the wand chooses the wizard. It's true, but sometimes, on rare occasions, the two find each other before hand. In your case, Lixella, I think you were always meant to have a wand made of your family's tree. Had it been any other willow tree…it wouldn't have liked you _half_ as much as this one seems to."

"You really think it likes me?" Lixella asked, blushing a bit

"Oh yeah! the bond between you and your wand is seriously strong" he said, "the two of you push each other to do better."

"How can you tell if someone's wand likes them?" asked Nym

"Let's see yours, Nym" he said, stretching his hand toward her, "and I'll tell you how it views you?"

Nym pulled her wand from her pocket. It was a harshly cut wand, with a light brown finish, and a few wonky bends.

"Dogwood?" asked Professor Wynchester, cocking an eyebrow

"Dogwood and Pheonix feather, sir" said Nym, "eleven inches"

"Of course you would have phoenix feather, Nym" Professor Wynchester shook his head, chuckling. "Only someone of your serious drive could be able to tame a phoenix feather wand. And dogwood, nonetheless…your wand must be just crazy. If this thing were a person, it would be in the nut house."

He took the wand in his hand, and turned it around a few times. He bent it slightly, and held it to his ear. There was a strange sort of beating inside of it. It almost sounded like a chaotic pulsing. Professor Wynchester smiled, hung his head, and laughed.

"Your wand, Nym" he said, handing it back, "is a well controlled chaos!"

Nym smiled from ear to ear. Her wand sounded just like her.

"It adores you!" he said, beaming, "it seems that the two of you, find some kind of a common ground in your chaotic natures! I don't think I've ever seen a phoenix feather wand that adores it's owner as much as this one adores you, Nym. And that is saying quite a bit!"

Nym stared down at her wand, beaming with happiness. She had always felt a strong attachment, as if her wand was herself. The two of them got along far too well, in her opinion. Often times, when she would cast a spell of immense chaotic power, she thought that she could feel her wand cheering her on, as if it was laughing along side her.

"The two of you compliment each other _far_ too well" he said. He put his feet on the table, and leaned his chair back, his arms stretched behind his head. "Willow and Dogwood…like push and pull. A very good description of the two of you."

Lixella and Nym glanced at each other, and smiled. They knew that they were best friends for many good reasons, but push and pull was their main function. They balanced each other, either pulling one another from too much chaos, or pushing one another into chaos. Truly, their relationship was that of yin and yang.

"Professor…" Lixella stared down at her wand again, "do wands have souls?"

"Of course they have souls!" he said, throwing his hands in the air, and hitting the table. "I'm pretty sure the two of you can tell that your wands have certain feelings towards your actions!"

"I do…"said Lixella, "But…it's just. In order to resurrect the banshees, I have to make a connection with the willow tree's spirit. Do you think the willow tree could recognize the soul of my wand, as it's own?"

"A wand wood once taken, can always be returned" said Professor Wynchester, "it's possible, Lixella. I'm sure that the tree can recognize your wand as a missing part of itself. It'll be like a family reunion…except it'll be the kind of reunion that you actually want to attend!"

They all laughed. Professor Wynchester had a very open sense of humor. The student body adored him for it, not to mention his good looks, and serious understanding towards his students.

Lixella and Nym got up from their seats and bid Professor Wynchester a farewell.

"I'll miss you two" he said, shaking their hands, "Like I said…this place is a snore fest since you left. No one seems to want to step up to the plate and put Stratoscope in her place!"

"Well" Nym glanced over to Lixella, "Perhaps we can fix that before we leave."

"after all…"said Lixella, "Stratoscope has gotten off scott free this year. I suppose we could pay her one last visit!"

"I'm loving this conversation" said Professor Wynchester, "but you girls should get out of here, before everyone gets back for the night. I look forward to seeing your pranks soon! Keep up the good work, you two!"

And with that, he ushered them out of his office. Lixella and Nym gave each other a sly smile. They both knew that they wanted to leave their school with a bang. The only question was, what would they do now?

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><p>I wasn't going to do this...but I thought you guys might like to see Lixella and Nym in action! I have such a terrible problem with worrying about how long this story will be...sorry, I overly criticize myself on this kind of stuff! Oh, and by the way, in case you didn't know...Professor Wynchester is kind of a tribute to the character of Dean Wynchester from Supernatural. If you haven't seen that show, I highly recommend it!<p>

anyway, thank you so much for reading...I promise to update soon! and shoot me a review, I'm happy to read them ^_^

happy Travels!

time for replies:

alitssimoragnerocks: fun fact of the day! Aileen does mean Light bearer... I looked up good Celtic names for hours until I found that one, I'm glad someone else di research too ^_^ and about that Jersey accent, I've never heard one...but it would probably fit, with how twisted Jynx's accent is in my head XD

DizziPenn: I love that movie! Sophie is such a badass!

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: SUPERMEGAFOXYAWESOMEHOT REVIEW! this quote...you made my day! I've been watching a very potter musical lately, so when you made that reference I was like :D aahhh, i get it! but, anyways, I love the babbling in your review...since i can't see your reactions to everything, i much prefer reading it ^_^ do continue!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Yes, Jynx's dad is kind of the shit! I love him, and will be putting him in more chapters...his character is such a trolling jokster. Thanks!

DizzyPotter: Your reviews are too much fun to read...they make me laugh, they really do!Jynx and Nym are such the perfect team. I should put them in more chapters together, somehow!

fayette13: It's all about character development in my mind! I love a good sex scene as much as the next fic writer, but I can't bring myself to write one. Don't worry about Umbitch, she's got something comin'. And yes, the things Draco would do for Lixella...you have no idea yet...I wish I could fast forward to that chapter, so you can be like "OMFG...awwww...finally!" because I know that you in particular will love it ^_^

thanks for the reviews guys, I can't wait to read more ^_^ y'all are awesome!


	16. Parchment 16: Light Up the Sky

Holy waffles! I'm back from the DEAD...sorry for the delay, Midterms are a bitch!

Anyways, this chapter is extra long to make up for it!

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 16: Light Up the Sky

Lixella and Nym stared up at the massive Ebony tower. They had been waiting outside of it for the past half an hour. Waiting outside of the Venomix dorm brought back memories. In her days at school, Lixella had a friend named Rina McCarthy who used to "plot evil" with her and Nym. However, they were usually either stopped or scolded by Eloise Stratus, the 3rd in their Mothwing trio. Eloise was the friend who kept them all from getting into too much terrible trouble. Without Eloise, Lixella and Nym would probably have been expelled. Rina McCarthy, however, was just a mad genius. Lixella was convinced that she would rule the world someday.

"_Silent but deadly, Cunning, and Quick…these are the traits of a Venomix."_

Lixella read the words over the doorway. The parallels between Venomix and Slytherin were far too apparent. She laughed, still wondering why she was placed into Slytherin house. A sequence popped into her mind, of what life would've been like, had she been placed into Venomix. Lixella, for the life of her, could not picture herself as a Venomix member. Mothwing had always been her home, and fit her with perfection.

"_Quirky wit, unafraid to try. This gives a Mothwing the chance to fly._"

The motto of Mothwing house echoed in her head. It was true, she held a lot of pride in her wit. People knew her for her ability to create witty comebacks, and also her quirky doppelganger personality. She was unafraid to show herself to the world. Like the Luna moth of Mothwing, she was something to behold, but was rarely ever noticed. She had to go out of her way for others to see her. Lixella wanted badly to stand out from the expectations around her. She wanted to fly away from the common ideals that were placed on her stereotype.

"Holy hell!" sounded a voice, "What in god's name are you guys doing here?"

A girl was approaching them from across the pathway. Her skin was a tan peach, and clashed a bit with her black and crimson robes. She was built like Nym, in that her figure was tall and thin. Her face was shaped like an oval, and surrounded by thick, frizzy, blonde curls.

"Rina!" yelled Nym, as she tackled the blonde girl to the ground.

"Well good golly, Nym" said Rina, after hitting the dirt, "you act like you haven't seen me in 5 years."

"It might as well…" said Nym, extending her arm to Rina and helping her off the ground.

Rina stood up, and wiped the dirt from her robes. She turned to Lixella, her dark brown eyes were surrounded by thick black eye liner. She stretched her long arms out, and gave Lixella a hug.

"so, what have my two favorite minions been up to?" she asked with a sly grin, "Plotting wonderfully evil world domination?"

"I'm not a minion" Nym muttered

"Well…"Rina messed up Nym's hair, "when I rule the world, I will bump you up to…Senior dictator of naughtiness. How does that sound?"

"Kinky!" said Nym, perking her head up

"Don't I get a title?" asked Lixella

"Supervisor of devilish plotting?" Rina said in a questioning tone

"eh.." said Lixella shrugging, "It's not quite as good as Nym's…"

"I'll throw in Australia!" said Rina, cocking her head to one side and smiling

"Done!" Lixella nodded

The three girls laughed, they were thoroughly happy to be back together.

"So what brings you guys here?" asked Rina

"Oh, you know…" said Nym, "we thought that Stratoscope needed to be whipped back into shape!"

"Oh boy…does she ever!" said Rina, "she's been giving kids detention for shirt stains! So, what did you guys have in mind?"

"Well…" Lixella glanced over to Nym, "We don't know, this was kind of a spur of the moment type of thing. We were hoping you could help us!"

"It would be an honor" Rina gave a bow

"Great! Now we just need Eloise" said Lixella

"She's just going to tell us to be careful…"Nym trailed off

"Yes" said Lixella, "But I would rather we have someone with _some_ sense in on this…plus I miss her."

"Okay" said Nym, "I miss her too, and we can go visit Mothwing!"

Lixella nodded, and they all made their way towards the Mothwing dormitories. The campus was suddenly covered in students. Some sat on the walls, others stood on the pathways, each chatting with their cliques about current news. For a moment, Lixella felt as if the world was normal. It was almost like she wasn't on a mission to raise a clan of banshees, nor was she working as a death eater. For the first time, in a long time, Lixella felt genuinely happy to be where she was. If only the world could stay like this forever.

They, eventually, reached the other corner of campus. There was a wide opening of field, that extended from the quidditch pitch in the distance, to a limestone belltower. This side of the campus had barely any street lamps, for it was required to be nearly pitch black at night. This way, the Mothwing students could see the nighttime sky through their enchanted translucent ceiling. On the other side of the Mothwing tower, was a sharp drop of a Cliffside. This, of course, was gated off. Lixella stared up at the entrance to the Mothwing tower, admiring the feeling of familiarity.

"Home…"she sighed, "It's good to be home."

"_How doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail?_" sounded the gargoyle above the doorframe.

"Crocodile's are _not_ little!" exclaimed Nym, "and they certainly don't improve their tails…which don't shine in the first place…they glisten. Or, they're just covered in the mud from the swampy areas they live in…silly door."

"_Clever and witty…_" said the gargoyle, rolling it's eyes, "_but it's not correct_"

"I don't believe in one single correct answer" said Nym, "It's a very one track way of thinking."

"Agreed" said Lixella

The gargoyle merely stared at them, while Rina began laughing.

"_I certainly didn't miss you two_" said the gargoyle, rather annoyed, "_now, how doth the little crocodile improve his shining tail?" _

"and pour the waters of the nile, on every shining scale!" sounded a voice from behind them. Nym jumped, letting out a surprised squeal. Behind her stood a short and curvy African American girl. Her figure was much fuller than the other's, but not chubby. She stood with near perfect posture, her arms wrapped around a pile of school books. Her hair was wavy, black, and terribly frizzy. It had been pushed back on her head, with a scarf, that was tied into a big cerulean bow. Her eyes were large and unusually blue, and stared at them from behind a pair of black, thick-rimmed glasses. She had a heart shaped face, with a broad smile.

The gargoyle smiled and nodded at Eloise, and the oaken doorway opened. They all made their way through the doorframe. The common room was large, with tall arched windows. It was full of sunlight. One side of the building faced outwards towards campus, the other side faced outwards towards the Cliffside. This Cliffside fell dramatically, and revealed a lovely landscape of forested hills, that turned into mountainous peaks in the distance. Above was the enchanted translucent ceiling, which was adorning the midday sky. The chairs and couches were ornately made, and colored with purple and teal. A white marble statue of the houses founder, Megara Mothwing, stood by the staircase to the dorm rooms. Her right arm was outstretched, and a luna moth had gently landed on the back of her hand.

"Why are you guys here?" asked Eloise, placing her books on a nearby table.

Lixella, Nym, and Rina sat down and relayed their story to Eloise. The four of them sat there for a few minutes discussing their ideas for pranking.

"Goats?" asked Nym, "I think it would be funny to use that one again."

"We can't" said Eloise, "not only is it super risky…but the goats are under major lock and key right now. Stratoscope hasn't let them out in ages!"

"I say we should do something with fire!" nodded Rina, "if you two are leaving, it should be with something flashy and passionate!"

"…of course you suggest fire, Rina" said Lixella

"but what if someone actually catches on fire?" asked Eloise, "people could get hurt!"

"Firecrackers?" asked Nym in excitement

"still a fire hazard…" said Eloise, shaking her head.

Nym and Rina let out an annoyed sigh, their ideas were always shot down by Eloise. After all, Eloise was there to make sure that they didn't get into too much trouble. She was fine with going along with their plans, as long as no one got hurt. She acted like their mother, in that she had to keep them out of trouble, and away from harming people. Lixella and Nym's relationship was always push and pull; however, sometimes Lixella could get wrapped up in following Nym on adventures. When this happened, Eloise was always there to pull the both of them back. Rina, however, was the fuel to the group. She was the one that lit the spark, and kept it lit. She was like Nym, in that she had to have adventure, but she wasn't one to seek it out on her own. Rina, instead, would sit and plot her amazing journeys. Since she could sit and map out paths, she was a genius in getting what she wanted. Like a spider, Rina spent time spinning her web, before settling herself in.

They all stared in different directions, trying to think of good ideas. This was proving to be harder than Lixella and Nym thought. They could usually devise a plan in a matter of mere minutes, the two of them were really rusty.

"How's Billy Boyer?" asked Nym

Billy Boyer was their friend from Canius house. Lixella had met him in her second year, during their flying class. At Lunareth, students learn to fly their second year of school. Lixella was eager to begin flying lessons, since she'd spent so much time flying with her mother. However, she was shadowed by Billy, who had a reputation for being the best known broomstick flyer. One day, Billy was showing off for everyone, and Lixella decided to cut him down to size. She didn't like overly cocky people, so she challenged him to a race. Billy was a show off, and always enjoyed a good challenge. The two of them ended up flying pretty far away from the school. Billy was fast, but Lixella had more training. She ended up winning, and had earned quite a bit of respect from the Canius house after that.

"Oh, Billy?" asked Eloise, "He's fine. Turns out he's started dating Lira Minzle."

Lira minzle was their friend from Fowlgos house. She was a very petite girl, and always did well in whatever she tried. Eloise wasn't particularly fond of Lira for two reasons. The first was that Eloise and Lira shared a crush on Billy. The second was that Eloise despised Lira's lack of ambition. It was a large trait among Mothwing students, that they wouldn't give up on anything they wanted. Eloise was driven in whatever she did, and faced it head on. Lira, however, was just fine with settling for less. Lira always strived for greatness, but wasn't scared to accept mediocrity if it was presented to her. She was a very hard working girl, and extremely loyal to her friends. However, she lacked the ambition for greatness, that Eloise held so high.

"_Fowlgos goslings faithful and true...loyal, dear, and friendly too._" the Fowlgos motto sounded in Lixella's head.

"Dammit, Billy" muttered Nym, "I knew he would go for Lira."

"That boy is an idiot" said Lixella, shaking her head

"Well, on the upside…" Rina said, everyone turned to her in confusion, "at least you won't have to have that awful last name. Really, Eloise Stratis is _much_ prettier than Eloise _Boyer_!"

They all laughed, even Eloise let out a chuckle. It was true, Billy had a rather bland last name. It didn't fit his personality. Billy was the grey alpha-wolf of Canius house. He was fierce, strong, and always traveled in a pack. He was the head of the pack, of course. His goals were always well set out, and he knew exactly how to get them. He took on the world with a strong sort of ferocity. At the same time, he was also caring to those people that valued him. He would do anything for his friends, and his family.

"_Canius bears their fangs with pride. A wolfpack of strength, who never hide."_ the Canius motto sounded in Lixella's head.

"I always thought that he'd take your last name" said Nym, "then he'd be Billy Stratis…which I think sounds good for a quidditch player!"

Billy strived to be a professional quidditch player. He was the keeper for Canius, and also head captain. He and Rina shared not only a house rivalry, but also a quidditch team rivalry. She was the seeker for the Venomix team, and very good at her position. The only person who could match her was Nym. Nym had spent her 3rd year as the Lunreth seeker, and helped get the team to the top. However, after that year, Nym grew bored of quidditch, and went on to other things.

They all let out a long sigh, remembering the many good times they'd had together. Their schooling was coming to an end. The world around them was changing. Soon they'd be expected to act like adults. They would all have careers, and families. Age was taking them over, they were all becoming different.

"We need to have one last hurrah!" said Rina, "Just for old times sake…"

Nym grinned back at her, "Okay ladies! Let's get to some evil plotting!"

* * *

><p>Jynx entered the Slytherin common room, mumbling under her breath, and holding a hand to her head. She had been spending the past hour in "Dark Arts" class. She had refused, once again, to use the cruciatus curse on a first year. Upon hearing this, Amycus Carrow had proceeded to smack her across the face, with a book. Though, it was nothing compared to Neville's gash, that he received after speaking up against Jynx's punishment. Jynx hated this new Hogwarts, it was a terrible place to be. The sickening amount of ignorance against muggles and blood status was held far too high here. Jynx had never particularly cared about either subject. She usually remained neutral in debates about such topics. However, this school was slowly making her choose a side.<p>

She plopped down in a couch, resting her head on the corner. She sat there, staring at the black upholstery of the couch, and wondering where Lixella was. She missed her friend, school had been ten times harder without a Slytherin that she liked. Everyone in the house had either become far too quiet, or far too outspoken about their opinions on the new school structure. Crabbe and Goyle were thoroughly enjoying the new classes, which was a first for both of them. Pansy Parkinson waivered between liking and disliking the school, her opinion seemed to depend on who she was with at the time.

Jynx had begun to highly dislike Blaise. He had taken on this ideal that the overly outspoken students were "getting what they deserve". Her small crush on him at the end of last year, was slowly dwindling out. Jynx shook her head, wondering how she ever had a crush on him. She stared up at the ceiling, holding onto her aching skull. The familiar sound of the entrance opening, crossed her ears. Pansy Parkinson walked in, accompanied by Blaise. She noticed Jynx, holding her hand on her head, and opened her mouth to speak.

"Say one word Parkinson!" exclaimed Jynx, without looking at her, "an' I swear ta god…I will rip ya vocal chords out!"

Pansy walked across the room, and stared at Jynx. She looked over, and let out a long sigh.

"I was just going to ask if…" she paused, "if you would like an ice pack for that?"

A small smile formed on Jynx's face, "Yeah" she muttered, "tha' would be wonderful"

Pansy nodded and headed up to the girls dorm. Blaise sat down on the couch across form Jynx. He stared over at her with an expressionless face.

"I s'pose you're gonna say tha' I deserve this" said Jynx, turning her head to him

"Yeah…" said Blaise.

Jynx let out a chuckle, and shook her head. "God, you are so annoyin'!" she exclaimed, "I dunno how I evah though' you were a good guy last semestah."

"Well, you _do_ deserve it" he said, "In a way…" Jynx shot him a look. "What I mean is that, well…you should keep your mouth shut. Speaking out to them isn't going to do you much good. Clearly it isn't getting you anywhere!" he motioned to the bruise on her forehead.

"Look, I'm not doin' this cuz I want to rally the masses!" exclaimed Jynx, "I jus' don't want to be usin' those kinds a spells on kids! I 'ave the right to refuse their way o' thinkin'!"

Blaise just laughed and shook his head. Jynx was so much different from the other girls he knew. Even up against death eaters, she wasn't afraid to put up a fight. Her personality was almost venomous, she had a sort of bite to her.

Pansy returned form the girls dorm, carrying a bag that she'd filled with tap water, and frozen with a charm. However, upon her return to the common room, she paused abruptly and gasped. Jynx stared over at her in confusion, Pansy stared ahead, and Jynx followed her gaze. Draco had just entered the common room, looking rather unhappy to be back.

"Where have you been?" shrieked Pansy

"Seriously, mate, you've been gone for two weeks!" exclaimed Blaise, "We were all beginning to think you'd done something terrible."

"We thought you'd been dragged off to Azkaban!" Pansy shrieked again, handing the ice pack to Jynx.

"Me?…in Azkaban?" Draco asked in confusion, "really, you guys?…think about who you're talking to."

"Yeah, hones'ly…"Jynx muttered, placing the ice bag on the side of her forehead. "Even I'm not stupid enough to think tha' the death eaters would be takin' Draco Malfoy to Azkaban."

"Well, then where have you been?" asked Blaise

"Working…" said Draco as he took a seat in one of the chairs. He let out a long, unhappy, sigh. It was very apparent that he was not alright with being back in school. "I was umm…I was helping Lixella with…family problems."

Jynx's head shot up from the couch, "You've seen Lixella!" she exclaimed. Draco nodded. "Flippin' fairy dust! How is she? Is she okay? What's she doin'? why the hell isn't she here? Did you do something'? I swear ta god if ya got her dragged off to Azkaban!"

"I told you…" Draco said defensively, "She's dealing with family problems. The Bureau, or the Congress…or whatever they call it in America…they've been investigating the murder of her parents." He brought a hand to his forehead, trying to massage away the migraine that was forming. He couldn't just tell them what Lixella was really up to, none of them would believe him.

"She's been gone all smestah!" exclaimed Jynx, throwing her hands in the air, "Ya'd think they could finish up an investigation with the year an' a half they've had!"

"Yeah, well.." muttered Draco

"I mean it _is_ America" said Blaise, "Who knows how long it'll take if it's over _there_! Is she a suspect?"

"What?" said Draco, coming back to reality, "Oh, umm…yeah" he shrugged.

He stared down at the floor, trying to avoid talking to everyone. He couldn't get his mind off of her. Lixella was all the way in America, once again, without him there. The events with Jonny raced through his mind. Then, the moments at the Ministry, after Umbridge had questioned her. He couldn't shake the feeling that she needed protection, that he needed to be there, protecting her.

"Draco, you okay?" asked Pansy, staring at him in concern.

"Hmm…" he looked up, coming back from his thoughts once more. "Yeah…" he waived her off, "I'm fine…I umm, I'm going upstairs." He got up from the chair, and made his way to the boys dormroom. The rest of them watched as he left, then they looked at each other in confusion.

"That kid just gets strangah and strangah" said Jynx, laying her head back down on the couch arm.

"He _really_ does like her, huh?" said Blaise, "I worry about him sometimes…with how much he likes Lixella."

"He doesn't like her, Blaise" said Pansy, her eyes lowered from the doorway to the floor. "He _loves_ her."

Pansy had been avoiding the topic since last year. She had been trying to deny that the boy she loved was in love with someone else. Ever since the beginning of last year, she had seen it, the way that Draco favored Lixella over her. The two of them had spent so much time together, but Pansy couldn't accept that they liked each other. But, it was obvious, she had seen it, the frustration was plastered on his face. He was scared for Lixella, he really cared about her. It wasn't fair, in Pansy's mind. She had spent her entire schooling chasing after him. She had just wanted him to adore her the way that she adored him. It was clear, though, that he would never look at her the way he looked at Lixella. It was hard to accept that Draco would never love her the way she wanted him to. She sighed, dropping her shoulders, trying to hold back tears. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up to see Blaise.

"Hey, Pansy…" he said softly, "it's going to be okay."

She smiled slightly, and nodded. "Thanks, Blaise" she muttered.

* * *

><p>Lixella stood in the planetarium, clutching tightly to her broom. She nodded over to Nym, who then removed a whizzing sprocket from her pocket. The two of them climbed onto the open railing, and Nym dropped the sprocket. It fell down the edge of the tower, and let out a loud popping noise as it hit the roof of the dean's office.<p>

"That's the signal" said Rina, who was on the ground. She motioned over to Eloise, who readied her wand in front of a slew of enchanted firecrackers. Dean Stratoscope suddenly came rushing out of her office, looking extremely frazzled. Four other staff members, Professor Wynchester included, followed her out.

"What in _heaven's_ name was that?" she questioned to nothing. Suddenly, a low bleating noise came across the lawn. Her eyes widened, and she turned her head towards the front lawn. There was a goat, standing in the middle of the open lawn, munching on grass. A sign had been painted, and hung around it's neck.

It read, "_They're baaaack…_"

Her eyes widened, "No" she said, "They can't be _here_…"

Rina smirked and pointed her wand to the tree by dean Stratoscope. Suddenly the whole thing bursted into a sparkling array of Polynesian poppers. They went off, sounding like a thousand guns being fired. Each branch was covered in shining silver sparks of light. Stratoscope jumped back, looking around in shock, trying to find the student's responsible.

"Who is doing this?" Stratoscope shrieked, her coral pink robes flapping as she threw her arms in the air.

The goat was startled and ran off. As he did, he attracted the attention of the students who were roaming the grounds. They then noticed the sparkling, and popping tree. A large crowd of students began gathering around the dean's office. Rina nodded to Eloise, who grinned slyly.

"_Incendio_" she chanted, and lit the fire crackers.

They shot off into the air, and whizzed over the clearing of students. They burst over the group of staff members, letting off streams of colored lights. Each one let off an immense sound of crackling as they exploded. Stratoscope covered her head with her arms. She let out a loud, annoyed grunt. Her perfectly styled grey hair became frizzed as she darted her head in every direction, watching the fire crackers light up the surrounding area.

Lixella nodded to Nym, and the two of them mounted their broom sticks. They flew straight down the planetarium tower, and glided right over dean Stratoscope's head. The student's began cheering, and the two of them landed on the other side of the lawn. Stratoscope looked at them with rage, "get them!" she shrieked. One of the more sinister looking professors stepped out of the group, and made his way over to the girls.

"Puh-lease" sighed Nym, "Expecto Patronum!"

Suddenly, a silvery fox appeared in front of her. It let out a high-pitched scream, and charged towards the man. He was sent flying backwards, and hit into one of the brick pillars. Professor Wynchester held back a laugh, and tried to not join in with the cheers of the rest of the students.

"Stratoscope…"said Lixella, "We've come to set you straight!"

"Yeah…"said Nym, "You've gotten too far out of line this time, Stratoscope."

"Punishing kids for stupid things like shirt stains…" Lixella said, standing tall and intimidating.

"Making them go to your boring lectures about your one-sided views of proper etiquette!" said Nym, standing just as tall, her head cocked to the side.

"Creating a place that no child wants to be in…" Lixella shook her head

"And hiring a _beyond_ boring staff…" Nym exclaimed

"We've come to tell you that you are hereby banned from ruining everyone's fun!" said Lixella.

They mounted their broomsticks, and shot into the air. Dean Stratoscope stared at them as they ascended. Her mouth hung open, "You girls will be punished!" she shrieked, "I will be telling the authorities about this!"

They both turned to each other, and shared a smile. "Shut up, Stratoscope!" they yelled in unison.

The two of them held out their wands, and began muttering an incantation. A stream of colored lights drizzled from their wands, and floated down to the ground. As they hit the dirt, the soil began to crumble and churn. Suddenly, as if conjured from nothing, a giant bunny began climbing out of the grass. It was tall, and made completely of glimmering white sparks. It had piercing red eyes, that stared down at the professors.

"A killer…bunny?" questioned one of them, extremely confused.

It suddenly let out a loud roar, which startled the professors, causing some of them to dart back inside. It then began hopping over to dean Stratoscope. She darted away in fear, screeching at the top of her lungs. The bunny pounced after her. Lixella, Nym, Rina, and Eloise all began laughing hysterically. The students were roaring with cheers, applauds, and laughter. Professor Wynchester looked back up at the girls, he nodded and gave them a salute.

"Promise you'll take care of everyone for us, Professor?" Nym called from her broomstick.

"Will do, Ladies" he said, standing at attention

"And you two.." Lixella turned to Rina and Eloise, "promise you'll keep Stratoscope in her place?"

"Ma'am yes ma'am!" yelled Rina, as she and Eloise straightened up in salute.

"Keep your wits up, everybody!" shouted Nym, "don't let them bring you down…"

The student body cheered up at them. Nym looked over and nodded at Lixella. The two of them flew off into the open evening air. Just as they did, a spark erupted from the planetarium. It shot off of the tower, and lit up into purple and red sparks, in the shape of a fanged bunny.

* * *

><p>Oh those silly rabbits! they're so devious! and poor pansy...sigh, things arent' going well at Hogwarts.<p>

Well, this completes the trip to Lunareth. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I promise to have the next chapter up quicker than this one was!

Happy travels!

time to reply:

RaineAmorial: I've always wondered if my wand would be quirky...or if it would like me! BEYOND INFINITY...away my magical unicorn XD

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thanks! I hope you enjoyed their pranking ^_^

DizziPenn: So, Stratoscope didn't shit rainbows...sorry, but killer bunnies were involved :D

altissimorangerocks: What the hell IS a Hufflepuff? I dunno...but I hope you enjoyed the information about the four houses of Lunareth ^_^they're good parallels to Hogwart's, but a bit different.

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: Oh I ADORE Dean Winchester SO MUCH! so much, that I had to make a character based on him XD and Very Potter musical is amazing...please keep up the great reviews!

DizzyPotter: JYNX! I had to put her back in here...I miss her so much, and she misses Lixella. Professor Wynchester is wonderful, I wish I had him for a teacher! and Jynx's dad is one of my favorite characters that I've made so far. I'll be writing him in somehow, he needs more screen time XD

Thanks you guys, I hope to hear from you soon ^_^ thanks for the wonderful reviews!


	17. Parchment 17: Soul Purification

Welcome to Chapter 17! Whoo...I am sorry this took so long.

March is like Writers Block month for me

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it!

Thanks for reading ^_^

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 17: Soul Purification

Lixella smiled as she brushed Archemedes. His grey feathers gleamed in the afternoon sunlight. "Good boy" she said, petting him. He closed his large blue eyes, and let out a soft coo. Archemedes was her father's hipogryph; As well as his favorite animal.

"_They're wonderful creatures._" he would explain, "_You just have to understand them. They're proud of what they are, and never lower their heads to anyone that they do not respect. It's admirable!_"

That logic explained her father very well. He was hesitant about who to trust, and had a problem with authority. He only showed respect to those who would show it to him. Not to mention, his patronus was a hipogryph, which made Archemedes all the more precious.

There was a reason that Lixella's patronus was currently an owl headed gryphon. Before the alleged death of her parents, her patronus had simply been an owl. Afterwords, her patronus morphed into a gryphon, to resemble her father's.

She stared down at the oak brush that was in her hand. The letters "W.C." were carved onto it. Lately, she couldn't stop thinking about her dad. He was out there somewhere, trying to find her.

Archemedes nudged her shoulder.

"Yeah Archie…"she said, patting his head, "I miss him too."

Nym entered, and bowed low to Archemedes. He returned her bow, and she threw him a dead ferret. She let out a happy sigh and plopped herself down onto the floor.

"Do you remember Stratoscope's face when we sicked that giant rabbit on her?" she asked, dazed with pride.

Lixella laughed, "Do you remember her face when we _landed_ in front of her?"

"Almost artistic"

It had been a day since their fiasco at Lunareth. The two of them were still in awe of their triumph over Stratoscope. However, Lixella was scared that the Mystical Congress and Bureau of Magic would be looking for them soon. She had to get this resurrection under way. December was beginning, and she only had until the end of the year.

"So…" she said, "Now that we know about my wand; I guess we need to try soul purification."

Nym looked at her with worry. She remembered the stories of Lixella's family members; The ones who died from trying soul purification, and failed. This was the step in resurrection that Nym had been fearing the most.

"Do you think you can do it?" Nym gulped, "…Correctly?"

Lixella made her way out of the stable, "Yeah…I think."

"You _think_?" asked Nym

Lixella did not want to hear this right now. She was already worried enough. Her ability to mask her fear was slipping away. None of her relatives had any successful notes on soul purification. Every person who had tried it, had failed. Failure meant death, in many ways. Either she would die from some magical mishap, or Voldemort would kill her for not being able to resurrect the banshees. She was positively terrified.

"I'm fine, okay…"she made her way up the front stairs

"Seriously, Lixella?"

Lixella turned around to find Nym standing with her hands on her hips. "Your relatives have _died_ because of this! _I think_ that you should be damn sure that this will work!"

"It will!" Lixella said defensively

"How sure are you?" Nym chased her up the stairs, "I mean really…because there is _not one_ journal that tells of a successful purification."

Lixella turned a sharp corner, and pushed open the parlor door. She was so tired of having Nym nag her about this.

"Lixella…" Nym grabbed her arm, "Look at me!"

She turned around, ready to go off. As she did she saw something; Nym's hazel eyes were filled with fear. Suddenly, everything came crashing down around Lixella. She could no longer hold it all in. Tears began falling down her cheeks. Her hand shot to her face, and she collapsed onto a sofa. Nym wasn't sure of what to do. She knew that Lixella bottled up her fear for things; But, she had never seen her get this emotional so quickly.

"I-I dunno if I can do this, Nym" Lixella sobbed.

Nym sat down next to her, and put a hand on her shoulder. There was not much that she could say, to make Lixella happier.

"I mean, have you_ thought_ about what we are doing?" Lixella asked in a frenzy.

"Resurrecting Banshees?" Nym asked softly

" We are raising the DEAD!" shouted Lixella. She shot up off of the couch, and began pacing the room. "We…_I_ am working against the forces of nature here! Resurrecting the dead? What am I _thinking_? That isn't possible!"

She began pacing back and forth. All of the events from the past few months went racing through her mind. Her heart felt as if it weighed ten tons.

"I _ripped _someone's soul out, Nym…_ripped_ it!" she shouted, "He will never be anyone…ever again! Jonny is going to spend the rest of his life, lying on a mattress in Sacred Cross Mental Hospital!"

She fell onto the couch, "…and it's all my fault." She brought her hands to her forehead.

"It isn't your fault…" said Nym

"Yes, Nym, It is" Lixella calmed down. "I've been doing things like this all year. And, the worst part is…I can't stop."

Nym stared at her. She hadn't realized the level of stress that Lixella was under.

"I _never_ wanted to be a death eater" she hung her head, "I never _asked_ to be the reincarnation of some banshee queen. I don't want to be doing _any _of this!" The tears trickled down her cheeks again. " I have had _no say_ in any of this! Everyone around me, just keeps expecting me to accept it all!" She sighed heavily. "…and I have. I have done everything that they have asked of me. And why?" She looked over to Nym, not expecting a reply. "Because that's the expectation…_That _is my expectation as a young lady. I have to just go along with whatever anyone tells me to do. I have to sit and be silent."

Several moments of silence passed by. Lixella just stared down at the floor, as did Nym.

"I _hate_ being told to shut up. But, it's not like I can just say no to Voldemort…that would just lead to death!"

Nym inhaled sharply, "you aren't dying."

Lixella looked over to her best friend, her face was plastered with fear.

"You can't die" said Nym, "It's just _not_ going to happen. I mean, you said it yourself; That you were practically born for this. If anyone is going to get through it all, it's you."

"How sure are you?" asked Lixella

Nym let out a loud laugh. Lixella was extremely confused. This was hardly a laughing matter.

"Lixella…" she said, "Have you forgotten _who_ you are?"

She paused, not expecting an answer.

"You're Lixella Willow Cruxshade. You're the head of everything snarky and rebellious at Lunareth. I'm pretty sure you have some kind of a reputation in Hogwarts. You're the _reincarnation_ of a _queen_! You can speak banshee without even trying. You have practically two souls. You come from a family of inventors, fighters, and masters of resurrection!" Nym talked as if she was disappointed. Lixella was this amazing person, who got to go on amazing adventures. She didn't understand why Lixella was complaining. "I _think_ you can handle this!" she stated with attitude.

Something in Lixella's head suddenly clicked. She felt as if she could do anything. This was the reason why Nym was her best friend; When Lixella was in doubt, Nym was there to nudge her forward.

"Now…" Nym put a hand on Lixella's shoulder, "Tonight is the first full moon of December. I say that we get that lantern, and purify that soul."

Lixella nodded, knowing that she could accomplish this. She smiled meekly, and pulled Nym into a hug.

"Thanks, Nym" she said

"Hey…" Nym hugged back, "I'll always be here when you're whining like a wuss! What are friends for?"

* * *

><p>Harry sat in the tent, rather unhappy because of the locket around his neck. He was trying to read a copy of <em>The Daily Prophet<em>. Hermione had found it on her way back from a market. He knew that everything in it was lies; However, it was still nice to have _some_ kind of news about the war. So far the prophet told him nothing that he didn't know. It was mostly news about new laws against mud bloods, and a few pages about how he was Undesirable No. 1.

He flipped through it a few times, growing more unhappy with each read. He did not understand how anyone could believe this stuff. Though, he figured that most people weren't in belief, so much as fear.

He turned the pages of the paper, until he reached the very back pages. A new section of the paper had been added. It was called "The Undesirable Watch Guide"; It listed all of the people who were wanted, or on the run. There were only a few so far, no one of extreme concern. He searched it a bit more, hoping not to see any of the Weasleys. He couldn't stop thinking about Ron, and how he had just left them.

Then, as if it was calling to him, Harry's eyes glided over a name. He read through the article.

"_Undesirable No. 87 _

_William Amaxus Cruxshade_

_Suspected Former Death Eater_

_Wanted for questioning about Harry Potter_

Harry looked down at the picture of William. He was a well groomed man, with black hair and a chiseled jaw. His mouth was twisted up into a sly grin; As if he were quietly laughing at everyone. Harry was sure he recognized that smile from somewhere. He skimmed over the last few lines. Hr had _never_ met this man before; So, why was he wanted for questioning about Harry's whereabouts?

Harry read the name a thousand times. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't place where he had heard it before.

"Hermione…" he asked, without looking up. "Do you know this man?"

Hermione stared down at the paper, and gasped. "Cruxshade?" she snatched the paper from him, "But that's impossible!"

Harry stared at her in confusion. "So do you know him?" he asked, growing more annoyed by the locket around his neck.

"Don't you remember, Harry?" she said; But, Harry just stared at her with his arms crossed. Hermione let out a long sigh, rolling her eyes. "Lixella Cruxshade…from last year" she said, inquiringly.

Harry mulled over the name for a bit. He had certainly heard that one before; However, he couldn't place it with a face.

"The black haired Slytherin girl…" Hermione nudged on, Harry blinked. She let out a long sigh, and planted her face in her hands. She didn't think that Lixella was that hard to forget. "The _only_ Slytherin that you've ever approved of. Remember? The one who used to pick on Malfoy all of the time?"

Suddenly, the name clicked. Of course, Lixella Cruxshade, the only girl to believe his theories about Malfoy last year. How could he possibly forget her? She was certainly a nice bit of entertainment last year. Harry would kill to watch her taunt Malfoy again, just for a nice laugh.

"The one from America?" he asked

Hermione nodded, "Yes! Well, I think this is her father". She pointed to the picture of Willima Cruxshade.

"That's impossible" muttered Harry, "Aren't both of her parent's dead?"

"I thought so…but, apparently not."

He read over the paper once again, his eyes lingered on the words, "_Suspected Former Death Eater_". He remembered the night that he had questioned Lixella about being a death eater; Then, the moment in the boys bathroom, when she'd practically told him that she was.

"Her father was a death eater" Hermione said in a small voice. "Didn't you start getting suspicious of her last year?" Harry did not answer her. Hermione simply stared at the picture.

"Do you think that she could be one, Hermione?" he asked

"Well…" Hermione let out a long sigh. "I can't say no to your suspicions, Harry. After all, You were right about Malfoy last year. I don't want to believe that she could be, though. She always seemed so much nicer than that."

"Yeah, well…So did Stan Shunpike."

"Did she finish out the year?" Hermione asked, "I don't remember seeing her much after that brawl you had with Malfoy."

Harry's head perked up, "No…she didn't. In fact, she wasn't there after the battle. Was she at the funeral?"

Hermione shook her head. "I don't remember seeing her that whole day. Actually, she wasn't there for _anything_ that happened. I'm not sure, though…she _was _in the Slytherin dorm the whole time. Plus, she isn't a part of Dumbledore's Army; So, there was no way to contact her. Perhaps she just stayed in the dorm when the fight broke out."

"Where was she the last few days of school?"

Hermione brought a hand to her chin, trying to remember. "I-I dunno, actually…She came to class in the morning, and we saw her across the great hall during dinner. Wait…" Hermione paused, and began looking straight forward, almost in shock.

"What?" Harry asked with anticipation.

"Sh-she wasn't there on that last night. The night that you left with Dumbledore, Harry. She wasn't at dinner…neither was Malfoy." Hermione gasped, "Harry…you don't think she could've…" she lowered her voice to a near whisper, "helped?"

Harry's heart sank, and a nauseous feeling welled up in his stomach. There was no denying it now. Lixella was at that point, and is now, a death eater. Not only that, she had also helped to kill Dumbledore. The only Slytherin that he had ever liked, turned out to be no different from the others. He stared down at the picture of her father. "I guess some things just run in the family" he said bitterly, as the locket's mechanical heart tapped against his chest.

* * *

><p>The evening light of the moon shimmered down on the white willow tree. It gave the surroundings a hauntingly beautiful glow. A blanket of pure white snow cascaded over the Duskwood estate. Delicate flakes of frozen crystal fell like feathers, swirling in the calm night air.<p>

Lixella stared down at her mother's grave. This was the first time she was visiting it, since it had been dug. She touched a hand to the cold, black marble; Wiping the frozen powder from the tombstone. She breathed in the chilled air. Tonight was the night. She was finally going to achieve what generations of Duskwoods had failed at.

She turned back, and nodded to Nym. The two of them made their way over to the white willow. They searched around it for a bit, looking for anything interesting. Lixella ran a hand down the trunk of the tree, checking for any kind of sign. To her dismay, she found nothing.

"Lixella!" called Nym, "Over here."

Lixella made her way around the tree, admiring the way that the trunk twisted into the sky. She stopped once she found Nym staring at a part of the trunk.

"Is that an E?" she asked, pointing to a symbol on the bark.

Lixella looked over at the curved E that resided over a circular tree knot. She smiled and pulled out her wand. She began admiring the way the head of her wand spiraled upwards. Then, she stared back at the tree knot. Lixella let out a laugh, it was too easy. It took mere seconds to figure out what the Duskwoods had spent generations on.

She brought the head of her wand to the tree knot. Suddenly, without her help, the wand twisted into the hole.

"Whoa…"muttered Nym, "I wasn't expecting that."

The ornately carved handle protruded out from the tree, and the delicate carved blossom pointed to Lixella. Then, the bark began crackling. Lixella and Nym stepped back a bit. The white bark began carving itself into symbols. They ran in vertical lines down the tree, and circled around the wand. The curved E became the end of a scentence. Lixella suddenly recognized it as a banshee symbol.

"_Only from darkness can the purest of light be found_" it read.

Her eyes darted to the lantern in Nym's hands. It must've been called the lantern of darkness for a reason.

"Nym, give me the lantern, please" she asked.

Nym handed her the lantern. She admired the lovely light that was coming from the soul inside of it. Lixella hung it on the end of her wand, and stepped back. They both watched in awe as the small white light, of Jonny's soul, made it's way to the top of the lantern, through her wand, and into the tree. They both exchanged a smile.

The white willow lit up with marvelous brilliance. The light was so bright that it illuminated part of the grassy ground surrounding it. The tree shimmered with a brilliant white light, and the symbols shown in a dazzling blue. They began rearranging themselves on the tree. Then, the letters over the lantern changed. Lixella read them out.

"_One must give, before they can receive. Nothing is more precious than flesh and blood._"

Lixella sighed heavily, and stared down at her arm. The blackened veins were still visible, as was the scar left by Umbridge. She removed a dagger from her pocket, and walked over to the tree. She winced slightly, as crimson red blood began filling up the small cut in her hand. She got some on the blade of the dagger, and held it over the end of her wand. It dripped three times, landing on the flower blossom.

The blossom began soaking it in, turning a bright shade of red. Lixella watched as all of the symbols began moving towards the wand. They formed a circular pattern around it, shimmering with brilliance. Then, the dazzling white light began fading into the center of the tree. It pushed its way down the branches, falling down the trunk, and was sucked into the wand. The red wooden blossom, suddenly, began blooming into a rose.

Shimmering white met bright red, and the two cascaded down into the lantern. The light in the lantern came back on. This time, however, it appeared even more brilliant than before. Lixella stared down at it, remembering the way it felt to hold the soul. When she had received it, Jonny's soul was warm and inviting. It had held a feeling of hatred, though. She wondered if it would feel any different holding a pure soul.

The white willow tree became just a tree once more. Lixella, her hand now wrapped in a gauze that she was carrying, lifted the lantern from the end of her wand. She handed it to Nym, who began studying the lovely warm light. Then, she reached for her wand. It spun once more, and ejected itself from the tree trunk. Lixella caught it, and watched as the knot closed tightly. All that was left, was the curved E.

"Wow…" Nym breathed, "That was one of the most beautiful things that I have ever seen!"

Lixella nodded, "Yeah, me too!"

"We should get that cleaned up" Nym pointed to the wound on her hand.

They began heading towards the house. "So, now all we have to do is go to the crypt" said Lixella. Nym looked at her, let out a long sigh, and nodded.

"I just love being around crypts" she muttered sarcastically, "Such a lively place."

Lixella laughed, "When should we do it?"

Nym stared at the lantern, "Does that thing have an expiration date?" she asked.

"I doubt it…But, I would rather we do it soon."

Nym stared up at the moon. "How about tonight?" she asked, "It's a full moon, that's special, isn't it?"

Lixella shrugged, "I guess so."

She looked down at the lantern, wondering what it would be like to finally raise the dead.

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><p>Next Chapter, they finally get to the resurrection! Wow...thank you so much for reading so far guys, this has been so long!<p>

I'm so happy to have wonderful readers...I promise to update soon ^_^

Happy Travels!

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><p>Review Replies:<p>

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Aww, thank you...I do enjoy writing a nice prank ^_^

Raine Amorial: Yes, bunnies are always a good ending, to anything! As for Draco...he'll survive, and hopefully not be bombarded by fangirls.

TheUsernameIwantedWasTaken: I always re-read to make sure I've typed your name correctly. I can't believe I actually got someone to feel bad for Pansy! Good to know that it worked...poor girl, she should just go for Blaise. I miss writing about Hogwarts so much, I can't wait to get Lixella back there! Lastly, DEEEAAAANNNNNN and SAAAAMMMMMMM...I adore them so much. I wish me and my sisters were HALF as entertaining as them!

altissimorangerocks: Yes! as in Megara from Herculese...Megara Mothwing would act just like her...so would the Mothwing students! I am so glad you caught that reference!

DizzyPotter: If only Killer bunnies could solve the worlds problems! It would be cute, fluffy, and super effective XD

Thanks for reading!

And also thank you to TwilightNinja00 for the favorites ^_^


	18. Parchment 18: The Dead Hold the Secrets

It's here! it's finally here, the epic climax to the current plot line. It's pretty long, for obvious reasons.

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 18: The Dead Hold the Secrets

"You're sure this is giant spider venom?" asked Lixella, remembering the moment with her uncle Zander. Nym nodded to her. She poured the vial into the cauldron, and ducked. Surprisingly, nothing happened. Lixella peered inside of the cauldron, the liquid had changed from a light blue, to an almost toxic green color.

"It looks absolutely gnarly!" exclaimed Nym, staring into the cauldron.

"I just hope that it works…"Lixella muttered

They had been brewing the potion for resurrection for a good hour. The moon had risen high into the sky, and the snow was still falling delicately across the yard. Lixella lifted the ladle, and poured the resurrection potion into an empty crystal vial. The glowing green liquid slipped into the vial, glistening like satin. She then put a stopper on it, and tied it with a string around her neck.

"Ready?" she asked to Nym.

Nym nodded, "I think so".

The two of them made their way out of the kitchen, and into the parlor. They checked the silver lined map once more. The unicorn blood based ink shown in perfect dazzling brilliance, with the light of the newly purified soul. Lixella called in Lita. The three of them made their way out towards the Crypt. Lixella began breathing heavily, she was very nervous. She was more scared for Nym and Lita than herself. Lixella knew that she was meant to do this; But, she wasn't sure if Nym would be alright. It wasn't that they couldn't handle themselves in a fight, she was highly capable of that. No, the problem was that Lixella didn't know what to expect. They were entering the territory of the dead.

"So, Why weren't your parents buried in the Crypt?" asked Nym

Lixella gave her a surprised, and then confused expression. "I don't know, actually," she said. "The rest of the family is in there. Well, the family members that could fit. After that, they began burying everyone around the crypt."

Nym sighed, she was also quite nervous about all of this. Then again, she hadn't been comfortable with the idea of resurrection to begin with. She couldn't leave Lixella behind, though. Lixella needed someone there to help her.

"Lita thinks that Madame Lixella's parents were supposed to be buried by the willow tree," said Lita. "That way, it would have more of a meaning to Madame Lixella."

Nym looked down at Lita, and smiled. This house elf was probably her favorite part of Lixella's house. She was full of spunk and life. Most of the house elves that Nym met had been rather timid and shy; At least, the ones at Mickey's house were.

They made their way across the large open field. Trees began dotting their path; As they walked deeper into the forest. The moon was now in the center of the sky. It was full, and radiated a white light down upon them. Lixella loved the moon, she preferred it over the sunlight. Moonlight seemed so much more calmed, and beautiful.

She held the lantern up a bit more. A dense fog began to cover the surrounding area. Lixella squinted her eyes. In the distance she could make out the family crypt. But, what was with this sudden fog? It was never foggy around here. It created a creepy and almost irksome atmosphere. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

"This fog is scary" said Nym, hiding her nerves.

"Lita agrees" Lita moved a bit closer to Lixella's leg. "Perhaps Madame Lixella should do this tomorrow. Tonight seems too scary."

"It's okay, Lita" said Lixella, peering down at the house elf. "Tonight is the night, I can feel it."

There was something strange about the crypt. It suddenly wanted her to enter, to find out it's secrets. She stared at the large stone entrance. It was a white marble stone, that had been withered over time. It's cracks accentuated the iron lanterns that hung by the black iron doors. Two gargoyle's, of gryphons, stood at attention on either side of the entrance. They peered down at Lixella with their large, ominous, black onyx eyes. Letters were raised form the marble building, over the entrance. It read; "_Only the pure can defy death." _

"That seems a bit pompous" Nym scoffed, "Really? Defying death, because you're a pureblood? Twisted logic there."

"That would be my family," said Lixella, nodding in agreement.

"Lita doesn't understand." Lita read the words over and over again.

"What don't you understand?" asked Nym.

"How can they have defied death," said Lita, "If all of the people here are dead?"

Lixella and Nym looked at each other; Their faces filled with equal amounts of confusion. Lita had a point. The people here were dead, so why bother with this motto.

"You're family _is_ pureblood, isn't it?" asked Nym, staring up at the writing again.

Lixella nodded, "One of the purest," she muttered unhappily.

They all stood for a bit, drinking in the words above the crypt. It was a mystery; And, none of them could figure it out.

"Perhaps it's just a stupid family motto" said Nym.

"Yeah" nodded Lixella

"This building looks oddly familiar" said Nym

"We've never been here before" said Lixella

They shrugged it off and made their way into the crypt. Lixella pushed open the black iron gate. She held the lantern up, staring around her. The inside of the crypt was much creepier than the outside. The room was lined with plaques, and dried piles of candle wax. There was a single stained glass window, in the shape of a crescent moon. It let in the tiniest bit of moonlight; Which currently resided on a spot in the center of the floor. At the back of the Crypt was an open arch doorway. Then, stairs descended downward, underneath the earth.

"I suppose that is where everyone is buried" said Lixella, ushering them towards the doorway. They made their way down the stairs; It was a large staircase, that wound downward. Lixella wasn't sure how far underground they were; It seemed like too far for just a burial ground. The stone ceiling shimmered in the light of the lantern. There was a distant sound of dripping water; Though none of them could figure out where there would be water. Truly, this space was eery.

"I never understood what they meant by unholy ground" said Nym, "But, I'm pretty sure this place is unholy."

Lixella laughed, "Unholy ground?" she asked, "Really?"

Nym shrugged and continued glancing in every direction. They passed by multiple tombs. Many family members were buried here. Nym was able to recognize a few names from the journals. They passed by the tombs of Charles and Oliver Duskwood; a chill went down Nym's spine.

"Do you remember that church, Lixella?" she asked

"Yeah.." she nodded, "The one that my relatives used for resurrection?"

"Where do you suppose it is?"

"I dunno, there aren't any churches near here."

A second shiver of fear made it's way up Nym's spine. She was not comfortable here. There was hardly any lighting. The darkness was only pierced by the dim lamplight. With every step, the small halo of lamplight revealed more and more of the tunneling passages. The walls consisted of high arched stone collumns, that spread into dramatically curved ceilings. Every few feet there would be a worn fresco painting; Some of family members, others of old folktale scenes.

"God" sighed Nym, "How far down does this go?"

Lixella shrugged. She was getting the same feeling. It seemed like they had been making their way down the winding maze-like passages for hours. The light of the lantern suddenly illuminated a doorframe. It was filled by a black iron gate. The iron was curved into curls and waves. In the center of the gate was an iron carved willow tree; It took on a bluish tint from the lighting of the lantern. Lixella took a deep breath, and pushed the iron gate open.

They had reached the center chamber. The large room was made completely of white limestone; The ceiling was held up by rows of columns. Directly in front of them, a few feet away, was a black desk. It was covered in old potions bottles; As well as multiple carved runes. On either side of the room were two statues; To the left was a statue of the grim reaper, holding a scythe in his hands; To the right, was a statue of what looked like an angel. However, this particular angel appeared to be starved. Her face was carved to resemble that her skin was clinging to the bone. In one hand she held something that resembled a cane, with an ankh end. The other hand was stretched outward, with an open palm.

The most interesting part of this room, however, were the number of skulls that lined the back wall. There were tons of them; Lixella wasn't sure if they were all human. They were laid into shelves, and pressed behind dusty black casing.

"Dear god!" gasped Nym, "That's so disturbing…are those real?"

Lixella winced, and averted her gaze. "Yeah…I think so."

"Who are they?" asked Nym

"I dunno"

There was a sudden chill. It whistled through the room, and the iron gate closed. All three of them turned at once; Lixella and Nym with their wands ready. But, there was nothing there. Certainly there was no wind this far underground. Lixella looked over to Nym, they both choked back fear, staring at one another with wide eyes.

"This is a regular horror film" muttered Nym, "I wonder who's the first to die?"

They all stared around at one another; Each of them held a similar questioning expression. Lixella exhaled, trying to keep the eerie silence from getting to her. She hated silence, it reminded her of her lost memories. It woke up a part of her that was empty, trying to find itself. A sudden feeling of depression came over her; Something in her mind had told her that she would never get her memories back. She looked over to Nym, who seemed to be battling with a similar feeling. Lita, however, was looking frantically around the room; As if she was trying to find something.

"Is this the end of the passage?" asked Nym, with a shaky voice.

Lixella looked around. There seemed to be no other way out. "If this is the end, where is the banshee burial chamber?" muttered Lixella. She glanced around, but found nothing. There was no separate doorway; There was no passage; There was no sign of another tomb entrance, anywhere.

"Lita feels like she is being watched" said Lita as her large eyes darted around the room.

"There's no one in here but us, Lita" said Nym, "It's okay."

Lita began shivering; Lixella couldn't help but feel that she was right. There was something watching them. She could feel one spot on her back, more than the others. It was as if something was staring holes through her.

"No, I feel it too" said Lixella.

She walked around the room, surveying the carved stone detailing. She stopped once she reached the white starved angel. It's hand was held out, with an open palm. Lixella reached forwards, and pressed her palm to the starved angel's. She stared up into the statue's stone eyes; They were black onyx, with no pupils. She wondered if this was a carving of a banshee.

There was another chill of free flowing air, as Lixella's purple eyes met the black onyx orbs. She was trapped for a moment, almost in a trance; As she stared into the eyes of the statue. She began to feel as if she were falling into some strange unseen void. Then, she was dragged back to Earth by a shriek. She removed her hand, suddenly, only to find Nym in shock, her jaw hanging open, pointing to something on the other side of the room.

Lita had run behind her, clinging to her leg.

"There's something over there" Nym said through short breaths. her wand drawn, "I swear to god! I saw something move!"

Lixella swallowed her fear, once more, and moved closer to the opposite side of the room. The lanterns in the tomb had gone out, plummeting them into darkness. It was dark and silent; Two of Lixella's least favorite things. Once again, she was reminded of her lost memories. She held the lantern of darkness in front of her, creating a lovely halo of pure white light once more. Her eyes grew wide, once she realized that the grim reaper had moved. He was no longer on his well carved pedastal; Instead, he was standing off to the side, turned towards Lixella. Her heart skipped a beat; Then continued pounding in her chest. The grim reaper's cloaked arm was outstretched; His boney hand pointed to the space behind where he once stood.

Lixella kept one eye on him, making sure he didn't move. She hesitantly climbed onto the pedastal. There was a small copper plaque behind where the statue had once stood. She leaned down, letting the light dance across it's metallic surface.

_Willow Illune Duskwood_

_Sept. 04, 1805_

_May you forever be a guiding light, to all of the lost souls._

"Why would they need a grave, for a child that was never born?" Lixella muttered inaudibly. There was a faint sound behind her; the sound of rock shifting. She turned to find the grim reaper statue, standing directly behind her.

"Dear god!" cried Nym, "It moved! Lixella, look out!" She held her wand out, shifting her posture to a defensive stance.

"It's okay, Nym" said Lixella, "I think he's supposed to help us."

She looked down at the grim reaper. He, unlike the banshee, had no eyes; Instead, there were empty sockets. His arm was outstretched, with an open palm. Lixella touched her hand to his, he jerked to life. His other hand, holding the metallic scythe, shot forward, cutting Lixella's arm. It was a small cut, barely even enough to matter. She winced slightly, watching the blood soak onto his scythe.

The lantern suddenly flickered. When the light returned, he was gone. Lixella looked around frantically.

"Over there!" shouted Nym, pointing to the potions table.

The grim reaper was standing behind the table, his scythe outstretched directly over it. Lixella made her way over there. The blood from the scythe dripped slowly onto the table. It landed in the center of an intricate circular pattern. The moment it hit the center, the runes around the table illuminated in a bright green.

"Lixella" said Nym, "You remember that church I was asking about? And when I said this place looked familiar?"

"Yes" Lixella said

"This is that church, Lixella. The one your uncle's lost their souls in; And, where your aunt accidentally ripped out the soul of her child. It wasn't a church at all, it was the crypt. We're standing where all of your relatives have failed."

Lixella's gaze moved over to the copper plaque. This was it, the room where so many of her relatives had lost their lives. They had given up their souls, to chase after resurrection. They had wanted to defy death; They wanted to defeat it. Her eyes moved to the glass cases of skulls, lining the back wall. Each of them had paid the ultimate price, condemning themselves to a terrible fate; All in the pursuit of defeating the grim reaper. Her gaze finally landed on the statue; His open palm was outstretched to her once more. However, this time, it was stretched as if he wanted her to hold onto it. He wanted her to grab his hand, and follow where he lead.

"_Only the pure, can defy death_"

This was it, death was challenging her to a duel. His touch could take away her life. She looked into his black empty eye sockets, and a sly grin formed on her face. This was it; This was the moment where her family's genius and purity would be tested. She delicately placed her cut palm into his. The green shimmering runes began moving. They made their way across the table, to the center. Then, one by one, they formed a line to the grim reaper. The statue became covered in the runes, so much that he became the main light source of the room. His figure was cut into thing green lines, running in a thousand directions on his body. His hand was cold, and his fingers closed around Lixella's palm. She could feel small amounts of blood being sucked out of the wound.

"_Nothing is more precious than flesh and blood._"

He was sucking out her life source. Little by little, he was trying to take it form her. There wasn't much she could do, she had offered it up willingly. Lixella winced, as her stomach became sick. A thousand thoughts ran through her head: Was this the end? Would she die here? Was death going to defeat her?

"No!" she shouted, "you can't have it!"

Her head darted around to her left. "Nym!" she called out, "Kill him!"

"It's a statue!" cried Nym, "How do you kill a stone statue?"

"I dunno…" said Lixella, "But if you don't, it's going to kill me!"

Nym gasped in shock, she couldn't think of what to do.

"_Reducto_!" she cried. Her spell hit the statue square in the chest, but nothing happened. Still more blood, being sucked even faster. Lixella began feeling dizzy.

"No!" shouted Nym, "I don't know what to do!"

"You have to kill it!" Lixella tried to jerk her hand away.

"Madame Nym" said Lita, suddenly. "Grab onto my hand!" Nym grabbed onto Lita's hand, almost to tears. "You can't be afraid" said Lita, "If you fear death, you can't overthrow him. You have to believe that death is your equal. We have to save Madame Lixella!"

Nym took a large breath in, and grabbed Lita's small hand. She pointed her wand to the grim reaper once more.

"_Reducto_" she cried.

Lita casted a spell as well, sending a stream of purple light from her open hand. Both of the spells hit the grim reaper simultaneously. His ominous skull was shattered to bits, crumbling to the floor. The rest of him stood there for a second; then, it began crumbling as well. As it crumbled, the stone became wispy clouds of black smoke. They danced around, flowing through the open air. Lixella watched as the statue evaporated form head to toe. As each piece fell off, a blinding white light emerged. Suddenly, the figure of a small child stood before them. It was a girl, with long hair, tied back halfway, held by a bow. Her dress was pristine white, along with the rest of her.

"Only the pure can defy death" she said, in an angelic voice. "Only those with pure courageous souls, can take death head on. Only the selfless receive what matters most to them."

"Who are you?" asked Lixella, in awe by the small child's white light.

"I, Lixella, am your past counterpart" she said, "I am Willow."

All three jaws dropped. "I am here to guide you to the burial grounds" she said. "I must thank you, because I could not take on a proper form without first receiving something to fuel my life source. Blood is what keeps us all alive, without it running through your veins, you wouldn't live. So, thank you all…for giving up a part of you, to help me become whole."

"Umm…you're welcome" Lixella said in confusion.

Willow glided over to the other side of the room. She placed her white glowing palm onto the statues. The angel opened it's large white wings, and bowed. It then stepped down from it's pedestal, and stood next to the open doorway. It's arm was outstretched, mimicking the large white wing; It pointed down a long dark hall.

"Follow me" said Willow. She turned, and made her way down the stairs. Just her glowing figure alone was enough to light up the cramped space. They each entered one by one, descending further underground. The staircase spiraled downward, the walls and ceiling were tightly packed together. Lixella swore that she could hear dripping water; Though she still had no idea where it would come from.

Suddenly, they stopped at a massive doorway. It was tall and skinny; Made completely of sleek black marble. There were no door handles; Not even carvings. It was simply a tall, thin wall; That towered over them all. Lixella could see her reflection in the doorway, but no one else's. She, alone, stood on the staircase; Her hand holding the lantern. It suddenly dawned on her, that she had to go the rest of the way alone. This was her journey to take, no one else's. Only she could enter that doorway.

"I'm sorry" said Willow, as she turned around, "But, I can only take one soul through here." she nodded to Lixella, "It must be the soul of Aileen that returns through these doors."

"Lixella nodded, she stepped forward, but something grabbed her hand. She turned to find Nym, clinging onto her wrist. Nym shook her head at Lixella, her eyes wide with fear.

"No…" she muttered, "You can't go by yourself."

"I have to, Nym" said Lixella

"you already left me once, Lixella. Don't leave me alone again."

Lixella put the lantern on the ground, and hugged her best friend. "I promise that I will come out of there alive, Nym." Her eyes held a look of knowing, as if she was suddenly aware of everything. "This is it, Nym. This is what I was born to do…I have to, it has to be me."

Nym let go of her best friend. She breathed a heavy sigh, and nodded; Staring at Lixella with a stern expression. "If you die in there" she said, "I'll kill you. I will master resurrection, bring you back, and kill you again! You go me?"

Lixella nodded, "Yeah, Nym…I got you." She turned to the spirit of Willow, and took a deep breath. "I'm ready" she said. Willow bowed her head, and turned back to the doorway. She placed her open palm against the shining black surface, and began muttering in banshee. A silver line cut it's way through the marble door, into two perfect halves. Suddenly, Willow inhaled sharply, and became a shimmering ball of light. She floated through the door, and the black marble began moving. Lixella picked up the lantern again. She was ready to face her destiny; She was finally ready to accept who she was, and do what she was born to do.

Lixella gasped in awe, as she walked into the tomb. She finally understood why they had traveled so far underground. The tomb, like the door, towered over her. The room was circular, and rose up into a wide open cylinder. There was no light at all, aside from the lantern she held. However, there seemed to be a glow to this underground tower. Something inside of it was giving off a dim green glow. She could make out rectangular tombs, carved into the walls. in these open tombs, lay almost a hundred banshees. She circled the room, letting the lamplight pour over each of them. Their bodies were in perfect condition. It looked as if they were just sleeping.

"Over here, Lixella" said Willow. She stood in the center of the room, in-between two stone coffins. Lixella walked over to her, surveying the coffins. One of them was a pristine white, while the other was jet black. The white one was carved with pictures of a story. It looked to be the history of the Duskwood banshees. The black one, however, held no markings; Aside from a name etched into the top. In banshee, it read:

_Cordellia Duskwood_

_The most selfless of witches, and the most loyal of friends._

_May her memory remain as pure as her soul._

Lixella felt her eyes begin to water. She placed a hand against the cool black surface. Something inside of her knew that everything was going to be alright. Her mentor was sitting right next to her.

"The potion, do you have it?" asked Willow. Lixella nodded. "You will know when you need to drink it"

"How sure are you?"

"Very.."

Willow glided to the center of the room, standing over what appeared to be a stone target.

"It is time to remove that soul, Lixella" said Willow, pointing to the lantern.

Lixella put the lantern on the floor. She opened the door, and reached her hand out for the purified soul. It glided over to her, with a wispy sort of elegance. Lixella was right, it did feel different holding a purified soul. The energy almost bounced around in her hand. It was warm, and open. There was a sort of free feeling to it; As if it could go anywhere, be anything.

Willow nodded to her, she turned back into a ball of light. She glided upward; So far that Lixella could no longer make her out. All she could see, was a halo of light, ascending to the top of the tower. Willow reached the top, and pure white light burst into the ceiling. It exploded, like a firework. Light tumbled down the rounded walls, illuminating every single banshee tomb. It raced down with speed, then hit the floor. The light spiraled around the floor, creating strange runic patterns. It wrapped around the two coffins, and stopped at the center; Creating a small target shape.

The stone target began turning; As if carving itself from the floor. Suddenly, a small cylinder emerged from the ground. It resembled a pensive; But was carved with more fine elegance. Symbols began carving themselves into the rim of the bowl.

_Life must be given, before it can be received._

Lixella stared, once more, at the shimmering pure soul in her hand. It was full of life, wanting to whiz around the room. She smiled and placed the purified soul into the basin. It sat for a moment, motionless. Then, a thin piece of stone protruded form the floor. It stopped in front of her. It crumbled, until the center of it resembled a hand. Lixella stared in confusion for a moment, wondering why it needed her hand. Symbols began etching themselves into the remaining stone surface.

_Drink in the sweet taste of life. _

She removed the crystal vial from around her neck. With a heavy sigh she uncorked it and drank it all down. A strange glow surrounded her. It was almost like a shimmering mist. She wasn't sure what it was, but it was warm, and inviting. The symbols on the surface began changing.

_It is time to return that which you have taken. _

Lixella suddenly realized what this meant. She technically had two parts of one soul. One was hers, the other belonged to Aileen. The familiar chill of fear shot up her spine. What would happen if she placed her palm onto that surface? It would surely suck her soul out. But, would it take all of it? or just the part that belonged to Aileen? Would she die?

"_If you fear death, you can't overthrow it,_" she heard Lita echo in her mind. "_You must accept it as your equal._"

Lixella let out a heavy sigh, her breath was shaky. She choked back her fear, telling herself that death was not something to be afraid of. "I have far too much to live for" she said, eyes closed. She thought of her father, of Nym; She thought of Draco. "There are far too many people that need me…I can't die now."

She plunged her hand into the stone. The tower began shaking, and the stone began crumbling. The purified soul became a liquid like substance. It filled the basin, causing it to overflow. It poured down the sides of the fountain, and began covering the floor. Lixella watched as it's light spread throughout the entire tower. Each tomb lit up with pure white light. Her eyes dazzled at the sight of it all; But, then, she became exhausted. There was a single high pitched screech, somewhere in the distance. Something thin and silvery slithered it's way out of Lixella's mouth. The shimmering mist around her was sucked into the stone. There was a sudden burst of light from the palm carved stone. She looked into it; her eyes began burning, turning from purple to teal. A few strands in the front of her hair, were stripped completely of their black color; Leaving them pure white. The light became a massive force; It pushed Lixella back. She fell to the floor, seeing nothing but blackness in front of her.

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><p>thank you for reading! I'll have the next chapter up soon ^_^<p>

Happy travels!


	19. Parchment 19: Chains of Memories

Thank you all so much for your support and reviews! Here is the next chapter

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 19: Chains of Memories

She was falling, her body had become weightless. It was as if she would float through time forever. Then, suddenly, her body hit solid ground. She woke to something spectacular; The serene sound of silence. Lixella would spend time sitting in noisy rooms. She usually despised silence; However, this was a different silence. This was a peaceful silence. Around her was a world, much like the one she had just left. It had a field of green grass, and trees that seemed to tower for miles. However, there was something unreal about this world. It had an almost shining quality to it, as if it was glowing with perfection. Was this real? Or, was she just dreaming it all?

Her thoughts were suddenly answered as she looked up to the sky. It was no longer light blue, but purple tinted. She pushed herself off of the ground, staring into the vast purple stretch of skyline. Lixella had no idea where she was. She stood up to find herself in her normal clothing. Nothing about her had changed; Then, a hair fell in front of her face. She grabbed onto it; Studying it with intense confusion. It was white. Her hair wasn't white, her hair was certainly black. She ran two fingers through the white bits of hair; Staring at it in awe. Something was terribly wrong here.

"So, you made it" said a familiar voice from behind her.

Her eyes grew wide as she turned around. "M…Mom?" she said, puzzled.

Before her stood a woman that resembled Lixella almost perfectly. Her hair was long, and tumbled down her back in black curls. Not only were her facial features soft; But so was everything else about her. Her smile held an almost delicate quality to it; Causing her teal eyes to crease.

Lixella ran to her mother, nearly throwing them both to the ground with her hug. Her mother hugged back, equally as pleased to see her daughter. They separated, and Lixella's mother stared down at her, almost to tears. She motioned her daughter over to a swing; It had been hanging from a tree in the distance.

After several seconds of silence, enjoying her mother's company, Lixella had to ask. "Mom" she started with uncertainty, "Am I dead?"

Her mother laughed, "No, you aren't dead."

"Then, where are we?"

"Well, it looks like the back yard to me."

"No, it can't be the back yard" Lixella looked around, "The willow tree isn't here."

"Not our back yard sweetheart"

Lixella gave her mother a funny look. Why would they be in anyone else's back yard? Her mother sighed, "This is the inside of your head," she said as she tapped Lixella's forehead. "This, is the place where all of your wonderful thoughts originate. In a way, this is the inside of your soul." Her mother gazed around at the scenery, breathing in the fresh air. "It resembles a place that you hold very dear to you."

"Mom" Lixella laughed, "I've never seen this place before in my life."

She surveyed her surroundings. They were sitting in what seemed like a rickety old porch swing; However, there was no porch for it to be connected to. It hung from a low tree brach. All around them were small stone built walls. It seemed like some kind of building had once stood here. The stone was overgrown with vines, and weeds. Various items littered the ground. There were small piles of sticks, a few iron pales, and even broken glass. But, the one thing that caught Lixella's attention, was a small rubber bouncing ball that sat idly by a very familiar tree.

"You've been here before, darling" Her mother moved closer on the swing. "Somewhere, deep within the lost confines of your memory, this place exists."

Try as she could, Lixella could not remember this place. It held a strange sense of familiarity, though. It was almost a feeling of happiness, and sadness at the same time.

"So, if I'm not dead" she started, "then what am I?"

"You're fine" her mother said, nonchalantly. "If anything you are more alive, now."

Lixella gave her, yet another, confused look. "By that I mean that you are no longer the reincarnation of a banshee. You can't see it, but your eyes have changed back to their lovely teal color. They are no longer purple; Thus, meaning that you have succeeded in separating your soul, from Aileen's soul."

"So, I had two souls in me?" she asked.

"Sort of" said her mother, "Your soul was always your own. But, you carried Aileen with you. It's a very complicated thing to explain. Imagine it like a box inside of a box. The box on the outside is still a box, but it holds a different box within it. Thus, you were always yourself; But, you were also a carrier for Aileen."

"Like that lantern?"

"Yes, like that lantern. You carried her with you, waiting until you both had matured enough. Then, when the time was right, you let her go."

"So, why are we inside of my soul?"

"That, is a good question." Lixella sighed in disappointment; Not even her mother knew. "Though, I suppose it just means that your body is getting used to no longer being a lantern."

"How long will we be here for?"

Her mother laughed again. Lixella loved her mother's laugh; It was full yet light. "Well" her mother sighed, "I will probably be here, forever. As I said, this place is created through your closest memories. Therefore, I am nothing but a memory." Lixella averted her gaze, looking to the ground. She was a bit disappointed that this wasn't her real mother. Her mother put a hand on her chin, and pulled Lixella's gaze back to her. "But you… you will leave here, eventually. Fairly soon, by the looks of it" She pointed into the distance. The world was beginning to fade away. Her mother turned back to her, grabbing her into a close hug. "I am so proud of you, my little Sella spellcaster. It was wonderful seeing you again." She kissed her daughter's forehead. "Do try to remember this place; Try to remember everything. I know that it's still in there." The world around them became foggy. "Remember to keep your friends close, but your family closer. Oh, and dear…If you ever find your father, give him a good whacking over the head for me."

Lixella reached a hand out as her mother grew farther away. Then, she was falling again, faster this time. Her body was weightless. She reached around for something solid; Her hands grasped onto the cold stone.

"Oh my god!" gasped a disembodied voice. Lixella's eyes were too heavy to open. She could only listen to the world around her. "She moved, is she okay?" the voice sounded familiar. "Lixella…" the voice trailed off, as Lixella regained consciousness. She finally opened her eyes, to see Nym. Her fiery red hair was even more frazzled than usual. She looked down at her best friend with a shocked expression.

"You're alive!" she screamed, and Lixella was pulled into a bone crushing hug. "I thought you died!" Nym shrieked. Her face changed to anger suddenly, and she smacked Lixella across her cheek. "You promised that you wouldn't die on me!"

"I didn't!" shouted Lixella, holding her aching cheek. "I'm alive, clearly!"

She gazed around, they were still in the tomb; But, they were surrounded by banshees. Lixella's head darted in every direction. Banshees stood on nearly every inch of the floor. There were even some gliding down from their tombs. They all stood, gazing at Lixella with their black eyes. She wasn't sure what to do; Lixella wasn't used to being the center of attention. Then, as if answering her prayers, a familiar banshee glided forward. She resembled the statue in the crypt, but her hair was black; And her eyes were a piercing shade of purple.

"Aileen…" Lixella's voice trailed off, as she stood up.

"You are Lixella then, are you?" Aileen asked in perfect English. Lixella nodded. "Thank you, Lixella Cruxshade." She put a boney white hand on Lixella's shoulder. "Without you, my sisters and I would have remained dead and forgotten in this tomb, forever. You have saved us, and kept your promise. You are truly something, young witch; We are forever in debt to you."

Aileen backed up from the center pedestal, and bowed low. Lixella looked around; She was speechless, watching as each banshee kneeled down. She had imagined this moment a few times; Ever since she had learned about being a reincarnation. So far, it was playing exactly as she thought it would. The whole tower of banshees were bowing to her; And, she was, once again, unsure of what to do.

"Wow…" breathed Nym, "It's like you're a queen or something."

Lixella choked back a laugh, knowing that this was not the appropriate time. However, it was hard to not admit that Nym was slow on the uptake. The banshees returned to standing, all still gazing towards Lixella.

"Look" she started, "I'm not a queen. And, I haven't kept my promise completely."

Aileen glided back to her, staring at Lixella with wide eyes. "You have resurrected us all" she said, "Surely you and your family have faced some terrible trial to get here. What do you mean when you say that you haven't kept your promise completely?"

Lixella took in a long, deep breath. "There's a man out there" she said, "His name is Voldemort. He's been trying to take the world for his own. He's trying to build up an army to overthrow anyone who opposes him. He wants to use all of you as part of that army. And I," she paused, "I need your help."

Lixella relayed the story to the group of banshees. She told them about the past two years of her life; About her parent's death; About the death eaters, and her father; She explained about Voldemort, who he was, and the terrible things he had done so far. The banshees listened to her in disbelief. They could not accept that the world had turned so dark; After they had given their lives up to keep the darkness away.

"We have to stop him" said Lixella, "I do not wish to force you all to lay down your lives for this cause. This was never your battle. But, I am asking you…as a Duskwood, as an ally…please, help me. The world needs the banshees right now. If we do not stand up against this man, then everything that you have died to achieve; Everything that my family worked to give back to you; It will have been for nothing. I need you all to act like you are on his side, for now. That way, I can keep you all safe. I can let you all have the freedom to live. I just need you to promise that you will follow my orders, and trust me."

They stared at each other, hushed whispers sounded across the crowd. They looked up to Aileen. She nodded to her sisters; Taking the lead as their queen once more.

"You have given us the most precious gift of life" said Aileen. "We will gladly do whatever we can to repay you, and your family."

Lixella smiled, choking back tears. She wasn't sure how she was going to lead this race through the war; But, she was sure that she could do it.

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><p>The sun seemed to just be a distant memory to the students of Hogwart's. In fact, it seemed to be almost non-existent in Scotland alone. This was the theme of the year though; Dismal and dreary. The world was losing it's grip on reality. People were becoming more suffocated by fear. Everyday it seemed there was more news on disappearances; Or, even people going into hiding. Death had become a common theme as well. It was such common place that students had heightened the anticipation of having their owl deliver a letter from home; Just so they could know that everyone was alright.<p>

On one day such as this, Draco was staring out the window of the Muggle Studies classroom. He really saw no point in paying attention. This class taught him nothing that he hadn't already heard before. In fact, the whole class period was like listening to a lecture from his father. Since he saw no point in paying attention; He also saw no point in participating. Thus, he was startled almost out of his seat at the sound of a loud, "Thwak!"

After loosening his grip on his desk, he looked over to find Neville Longbottom holding his now aching head. Professor Alecto Carrow had whacked him over the head with a text book. Draco simply sighed, and shook his head. He did not understand why Neville felt it necessary to speak out during these lectures. It wasn't like anyone in this class was having their opinion changed. What Alecto Carrow was saying, certainly wasn't reaching the minds of many. All that Neville was doing, was fighting a pointless battle.

It wasn't just Muggle Studies; Neville had managed to get beaten in Dark Arts class as well. He had taken the place of Harry Potter; Naming himself the school's new symbol of hope. Along with his friends; Who had called themselves Dumbledore's Army. Which was yet another thing that Draco did not understand. Dumbledore was dead (Draco would know. He was there for it.); So, what was the point in plastering his name all over the school?

They had even begun to vandalize the walls with D.A. graffitti. It certainly wasn't helping with the immense guilt trip that Draco had every time he looked around; Which was partially due to having Dumbledore's name plastered everywhere. Just last week a wall in the dungeon had become covered with paint saying, "Dumbledore's Army, still recruiting"; Thus, making every trip to the Slytherin dorm hell for Draco. And yet, the Gryffindors wondered why he hated them so much. His thoughts were, once again, interrupted by Neville being punished for speaking out of term.

"Thank you Mister Longbottom" said Professor Amycus Carrow, during Dark Arts class. "Thank you for that wonderful example of what happens to ignorant students, who don't do what their teachers tell them." Draco had nothing to say, Longbottom had it coming. "Now, I won't see you all until after the winter holidays. So, keep up your studies on the cruciatus curse;" he looked to Neville, "As we will be discussing it's history when you get back. Keep up your practicing, Class dismissed."

Finally, the last day of school was over. Winter break was on it's way; and Draco would soon be on a train home. Though, home did not hold the escape he so desperately wanted. Tomorrow, students would be boarding trains; Beaming at the sight of their parents. Families would be re-united, hugging in thankful rejoice that they were all still alive. Everyone was going home to Christmas; Everyone, except Draco. He would be going home to nothing but meetings with Voldemort; And news about the ever elusive Harry Potter. Draco did not give two shits where Potter was. He hoped that he was miles away from anyone that could catch him. He could only imagine what would happen if Potter was caught. The world would only plunge deeper into Voldemort's grip.

Draco wished he could do that; Just run off somewhere, and never return. But, he couldn't do that to his family. He had nowhere to be running to; And no one that could safely hide him from the death eaters. An image suddenly ran through his mind; The waking sight of an old, dusty attic. A tangled mess of black hair that fell in perfect chaos down a curved bare back. Her hands clinging to that itching wool blanket, in a desperate attempt to cover the secret parts of her that he'd already peeked at. Those unusual purple eyes staring at him, as if she wasn't aware of what she'd just done. Those lovely pink lips, parted slightly; Practically begging him for more. That was his escape; His only way of running from this terribly fucked up world that he had helped create.

"Oi!" snapped a voice, as well as a hand in front of him. "You there, Draco?"

He turned to find Blaise staring at him in concern; As well as Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Jynx. It had become mandatory for students to sit with their houses; Which is why Jynx was sitting with all of them. He shook his head slightly, blinking a few times.

"Fine…" he said as he returned to reality.

"You've been glaring at the Hufflepuffs for a good 10 minutes" said Goyle.

"Yeah, an' last I checked" said Jynx, "Hufflepuffs have nevah done much ta disturb ya."

"Hufflepuffs don't do much of _anything_, do they?" said Crabbe

In fact, and he'd never really thought of it before, the Hufflepuffs _didn't_ do much. They were a very under the radar type of house.

"What the hell is a Hufflepuff, anyway?" asked Blaise, staring at the house banners. "I mean, I understand Ravenclaw with the Eagle. Gryffindor seems to befit a lion. And Slytherin is pretty self explanatory. But…Hufflepuffs are badgers, how the hell does that make _any_ kind of sense? And what kind of a name is Hufflepuff?"

"Maybe they named her that because she was such a fat cow" said Pansy, "and Hufflepuff was the sound she made when she ran."

This statement caused Jynx to spit out her sip of water. Blaise, this time, was able to move before it hit him. Crabbe nearly choked on the piece of pork chop he'd swallowed. They all burst into a loud fit of laughter.

"Tha' was bloody brilliant, Parkinson" said Jynx, giving Pansy a high five.

"Yeah" said Blaise, "at least our founder was _some_ kind of cool."

"Cool?" asked Jynx in a condescending tone.

"Yeah, cool" said Blaise, "In his time building Hogwarts he not only built a whole chamber that no one was able to locate. He also housed a giant basilisk in it; Without anyone finding out."

"Harry Potter found it" said Crabbe

"Yeah, well" Draco scoffed, "Potter ruins most of the fun of this place. I mean, what did Godric Gryffindor ever do?"

"He stuck a sword in a hat" said Pansy, "and called it a day."

"yeah…"Jynx nodded, "a giant snake in a secret chamber is definitely cooler."

"Precisely!" said Blaise, "Which is why Slytherin house is just better."

He was quickly silenced by a glob of mashed potato hitting his cheek.

"Sorry…" said Jynx, clearly holding her spoon like a catapult. "I was tryin' ta aim around ya quickly inflatin' head." Pansy let out a short giggle. "Ha!" Jynx mocked, "I got ya girl ta laugh at your ridiculous ego. Score one, Spakerton!"

"I am NOT his girl!"

"She is NOT my girl!"

Blaise and Pansy shouted in unison, they looked to each other in shock. The whole table became quiet, as everyone stared at Blaise and Pansy in disbelief. All of them were well aware of their sudden attraction to one another.

Jynx laughed, "Well, I think I just proved my point. Spakerton, two…Zabini, zero." Jynx smirked, holding the numbers on her hands in front of him, "I'm winnin' so far, Zabini."

Draco laughed, pointing to Jynx. "I like her!" he exclaimed, "I honestly did not think you were this entertaining!"

"I didn't think I could bare sittin' at a table wit' ya" said Jynx, "So we're even."

"And to think I absolutely despised you and Lixella last year" said Pansy.

"That's okay, Parkinson" said Jynx, "I'm jus' happy that ya don't soun' like a chimp no more."

"Thank god" muttered Goyle, "I thought I was going to go deaf, listening to all your shrieking."

The table, once again, burst into loud laughter. Even Pansy let out a few giggles. She was beginning to realize how annoying her Draco-obsessed self was. She glance over at Blaise, who just gave her a reassuring nod. He had fancied her since fourth year; But, he would never admit it, seeing as she was always Draco's property.

"Speaking o' Lixella" said Jynx, "Does anyone know if she's comin' back afta' winter break?"

"is she even returning this year?" asked Blaise, "I mean, is it possible to skip first semester and then come back second semester?"

"Wouldn't be the first time she's showed up out of nowhere" said Pansy

"Yeah, I didn't even know that it was possible to transfer schools" said Crabbe.

"She's probably coming back" said Draco. The whole table, suddenly, shifted their gazes to him. "I left for two weeks to go see her, guys. I think I know what's going on!"

But, he didn't know what was going on. He didn't know if Lixella had raised the banshees; Or, if she was even still alive. She was in America, a thousand miles away from him. Not to mention that she only had until the new year to get a whole army of banshees to Voldemort. He was wondering how she was handling it all. Images of last year flashed through his mind; From the vanishing cabinet, to the astronomy tower. Even his bathroom brawl with Potter snuck it's way in there. He had his fair share of breaking points last semester. Lixella, certainly, wasn't getting by without those.

The group got up from their table, and made their way back to the dungeons. He scoffed, turning away, as he passed by the graffiti on the wall. Draco shoved his hands into his black winter jacket. The left one wrapped around a familiar metallic pocket watch. He sighed, closing his eyes. His mind drifted to last Christmas. The fog on the guestroom window; Her soft hand on the side of his face. The first time she had admitted to loving him. That moment when he felt like he had won some big competition against the world. He had finally beaten every other person out, to get the prize.

"She had better be back for Christmas" he thought as he headed to bed.

Winter break would be hell if she wasn't there again. He did not want to be putting up with Voldemort and his father, by himself. Malfoy manor was simply going to drive him mad; Especially if he had no one to get angry at.

He turned off the lantern next to his bed, staring up at the glass ceiling. The full moon was visible between the ripples of green water. The sight of snarling wolf fangs ran through his mind; A bloody Lixella, huddled and beaten, leaning against that tree. He had only seen her be terrified once, during their run in with Jonny Damian. If Draco had known Jonny during his years in school; He surely would have beaten him into the ground sooner. He remembered Umbridge, smiling politely at Lixella's new scars; Voldemort and his Aunt Bellatrix's torturing of her last year; And, All four of those dementors attacking them. Through all of it, she rarely ever cried; She hardly ever complained. In his mind, Lixella did not deserve any of the treatment she was getting.

He closed his eyes, trying to find something pleasant before sleeping. His mind drifted to a crimson train, that billowed white clouds of smoke. There was a cart, with tables and chairs. In this cart was a girl, with her long legs propped onto the table across form his. For a split second, his mind was taken away from his death eater duties that year. For a moment, he was just staring at the way her hair was tumbling down her back. The world had stopped for a moment; As he noticed her unusal purple eyes, for the first time, were glancing at him.

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><p>Thanks for reading you guys! Winter break finally starts...whoo, it feels like it's been such a long journey so far!<p>

See you next chapter, happy Travels!

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><p>A special thanks to In This Kingdom By The Sea, and Natures Nightmare for the favorites and story alerts subscriptions!<p>

Reply time:

DizzyPotter: hahaha...yay for massive nerdom! I'm sorry i fooled you two chapters ago...but I really wanted a few opinions. I'm still on the fence about revising the first story. Plus, I am having FAR too much fun writing this XD

Nature'sNightmare: I will definitely finish this story before revising the first (if I do at all). I don't want to be juggling too much.

RaineAmorial: Well good...I have 2 certain yes votes so far. I'm also happy that you guys used my ship name...god, I feel like such a nerd sometimes XD

Marlene: I agree...it was a good rushed; Which is why I'm questioning myself. I suppose this story will help decide if I need revisions ^_^

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: FORWARD...into winter break! Fun fact, I wrote the last winter break around Christmas. It's almost April now, how time flies!

Thank you for the reviews you guys, they really mean a bunch! See you all soon ^_^


	20. Parchment 20: Just Fake It!

finally Chapter 20!

thank you for the reviews guys, I hope you enjoy this!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 20: Just fake it!

It was unreal, she simply couldn't accept this building that stood in front of her. It had not changed a single bit since Lixella had left. The Cruxshade manor still looked the same. She wasn't sure why she had expected it to change. Certainly the house would remain as it was before she left. Perhaps it was just because she had been on such a long journey. Coming back felt almost surreal. Just standing in her bedroom felt strange. It was as if she was there for the first time, once more.

She had only left America that morning; and, returned to England, ready to face the war. Nym had begged to come along, but Lixella couldn't bring her along. It was a heavy feeling, having to let go of her best friend for a second time. But Lixella lived a double life. In America, she was herself, snarky and rebellious; In England she was quiet, stone cold and ready to elusively fight against her surroundings. Nym couldn't exist along side her Brittish self. Voldemort would have her killed if he knew she was besties with the daughter of a squib and a muggle.

"If you need me" Nym said, standing by the floo fireplace. "I'm only an owl away."

Lixella gave her best friend a hug, almost to tears. "I hope I'll get to see you again, Nym."

"Hope…"Nym chuckled, "You aren't hoping, Lixella. You _will_ be back! Remember, if you die…I'll kill you!"

Lixella laughed, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

"You think I'm joking, Lixella…but I'm _beyond_ serious!" Nym laughed, it was loud and almost chaotic. "I will find you, and kill you" she said with a smile. Lixella smiled, her eyes wide with fear; Nym would make an intimidating death eater.

She laughed as she remembered her wonderful times in America. It was like escaping for a bit. Being there was like being away from the entire world. There was nothing for her to worry about, no war to fight in, no father to worry about; There was simply Nym and Lixella, defying all odds, and having adventures.

But, that was over now; Lixella had to accept her part in the war. She was not happy about it, but there was no room for discussion. She sat on her bed, staring at the Cruxshade family crest. Her father crossed her mind; He was still on the run.

"If I ever find him" she said, sitting up on a pillow. "I have to ask him how he has evaded the death eaters for so long."

Truly, her father was a master at being elusive. Most rogue death eaters would be caught within a matter of days. Her father had managed to survive on the run for nearly a year. Then again, Lixella doubted that finding William Cruxshade was on Voldemort's top priority list. Nonetheless, Lixella was proud of him; She was always proud to be his daughter. She was always proud to be a Cruxshade.

"Lixella" she turned to find her aunt in the doorway. "There's someone here to see you."

Lixella took a deep breath, and followed her aunt downstairs. She could only imagine who wanted to see her. She knew it was not going to be anyone pleasant; Though, part of her hoped it was Draco. However, that was impossible. He was currently on a train, making it's way to King's Cross station. She wondered when she would see him again. It wouldn't be too long; She had to present her newly raised army of banshees soon.

They made their way downstairs, and Lixella's stomach churned a little. Standing in the foyer, was Professor Snape. He did not look different at all. His black hair was still curtained around his face; His nose was still too large for his profile; And, he still looked just as sketchy as ever.

"I've come to ask about the banshees" he said. Not even a hello, he went straight to business. Perhaps he had somewhere important to be.

"They're alive" she said, her face expressionless.

"And just…where are they?" he asked, one eyebrow raised. "I would think it hard to hide an army of banshees."

"They'll be here," her tone was stone cold, "When I ask them to be."

"Very well" Professor Snape rolled his eyes. He did not like talking to Lixella, she had too much of an attitude. "I shall alert the dark lord. If I were you, I would be prepared by tonight." He turned to her aunt and uncle, "good day". He turned on the spot, and apparated away.

"You really shouldn't be so cold, Lixella" her aunt scolded. "Professor Snape has really never done much to you."

Lixella sighed, "Yeah…I know. I just don't like him."

"Neither did your father" said her uncle. "I never did understand why, though. The man is a bit unpleasant; But, he's nothing to be angry at."

"Sorry" Lixella looked down at her feet. She did not like Snape, because Snape was close to Voldemort; And anyone close to Voldemort, was not someone that she trusted. "So, I guess tonight is the night" she shrugged.

"They'll all be quite surprised to see you" said her uncle, "Most people had just assumed that you were either dead, or planning an escape."

"Glad to see everyone has so much faith in me" she muttered.

"They underestimate you, Lixella" said her aunt. "I think that tonight should prove them wrong."

"Why?" she asked, "It's not like I'm much different. I'll just be followed by a bunch of banshees. I'm pretty sure that the army will overshadow me."

An almost cynical smile crossed over aunt Iris' lips. "This is your shining moment" she said with a cocky attitude, "I think you should make an unforgettable entrance."

Lixella was suddenly a bit afraid. Her aunt was eyeing her from head to toe. "I have a few ideas" she said, "Come with me, Lixella." She held out her hand, Lixella hesitated at first but took it.

"What are you going to do?" she asked, intimidated.

"I'm going to turn you into a proper looking war general" her aunt said as they marched upstairs.

She lead Lixella down the hall and into her bedroom. Lixella had never really been in her aunt and uncle's room, it was large, and extravagant. The windows seemed to tower over her; letting in wonderful views and rays of sunlight. She was jerked into the master bathroom, which was nearly as big as her parlor room, back in America. On the left wall was a large mirror. It spanned the entire stretch of wall, with lights that shined down on the white marble countertop. Her aunt sat her in a lovely salon chair, and began playing with Lixella's hair.

"I adore these strands of white" she ran a few fingers through the white strands of hair. "How do you feel about pins?…and heat?"

Lixella was now completely scared. Her aunt had never asked to do her hair before. In fact, no one had ever asked to do her hair. Lixella hated having people poke and prod at her skull. The only person that she would let come near her hair, was her mother. This was going to be quite an experience.

She spent the next hour in the salon chair. It was faced away from the mirror, as her aunt refused to ruin the surprise. Lita rushed in and out of the doorway, carrying strange bottles with wonderful aromas. Her aunt was working like a madwoman. She was having far too much fun with Lixella's hair. It was like watching Nym solve a mystery, or watching Jynx taunt someone. Every few minutes her aunt would comment with something like: "How do you have _this_ much hair? Do you see this Lita" she grabbed a handful of Lixella's black hair, "It's _preposterous _how much hair you have!"

Lixella was nodding to sleep when her aunt finally called, "Done!". Lixella turned to look at herself, but was jerked around by her aunt. "Tsk tsk" she waved a slender finger in Lixella's face, "No peeking!" She grabbed Lixella's hand and escorted her out of the bathroom. Lixella tried to imagine her hairstyle from the way it felt. It was all thrown to one side, that was for sure. The left side of her head felt like a heavy weight. The right side was lighter, except for the top. She could see clearly in front of her, which meant that it had all been pulled back.

Her aunt stopped in front of two tall double doors. She opened the curved handle, to reveal a massive closet. Lixella's jaw dropped. This closet was nearly the size of the bathroom. It wasn't even a closet; This was a storage room for clothing. Three were 4 rows of racks, that were stacked three high. They were packed with dresses, jackets, blazers, sweaters, and a hundred other clothing items. Rows of shoes lined the walls, organized by color. They made a perfect rainbow spectrum, holding nearly every shade of every color. There were even hats; Lixella had never even seen her aunt wear a hat. Aunt Iris walked over to the coats, and began thumbing through the rack.

"Do you own any leather?" she asked.

"No" Lixella was honest. She did not like leather, it did not breath, and it made strange noises when she sat down. "Do I have to wear leather?" she asked, dazed by the amount of clothing her aunt owned.

"You're right" aunt iris stopped, "regular black jeans should do just fine."

"Black?"

"Of course black" he aunt stared at her, "What? Did you think you would be making your big death eater debut in pink?"

That was true, black was the unspoken uniform color of the death eaters. Lixella preferred purple, or even a dark blue; But, she could live with black. Her aunt called Lita in, and gave her a long list of items to find. Lita, who looked extremely frazzled, began running around the closet. Lixella tried on several pairs of boots, and even a few gloves. Her aunt was getting rather worked up about something. "Where is that jacket?" she muttered, pacing the room. "I could've sworn it was right over here?"

After several minutes of trying on every pair of black pants that Lita threw at her, Lixella found a good pair. She admired their wonderful fit in the mirror, they were the first pants to actually reach her high waist. Her aunt came rushing to the mirror in a frenzy, clutching to a long covering on a hanger.

"I found it" she said, holding the jacket bag up in triumph. "Sneaky thing was hiding away in the winter section." She turned Lixella away from the mirror once more.

"Now, we can get started for real!" she said, unzipping the casing.

* * *

><p>Draco let out an exhausted sigh as he fell down on his bed. They had finally reached home. It felt like he had just taken the longest trip in his life. The train ride had run twice a long, since the death eaters insisted on boarding in the middle of the journey. This was yet another thing that Draco did not understand. If the death eaters wanted to find Potter so badly, why were they looking in the obvious places? He certainly wasn't going to be waltzing back to Hogwart's anytime soon.<p>

Then, there were the lovely opinions of nearly every single Gryffindor; Who just couldn't keep their mouths shut. Draco had done virtually nothing to Longbottom this year; And yet, Longbottom insisted on scolding him as if he were Voldemort himself. Then there was Ginny Weasley, who Draco had learned to not mess with after she punched him in the face. She and Luna Lovegood were just as insistent on rebellion as Longbottom was. However, their antics had gone down quite a bit since they had been caught trying to steal the sword.

He lifted himself up, and stared out of the window. The sun was reaching high in the sky, glimmering down on the new fallen snow. He half expected for a snowball to hit his window payne; And for her to fly up on that old, outdated broomstick. She would be smiling that sly smile that he adored, taunting him. He got up and made his way back downstairs. Upon entering the foyer, he found his father and aunt Bellatrix staring at him in shock.

"What?" he asked, quite confused since he had just entered.

"What are you wearing?" his father scolded

Draco looked down to find his school robes. "My school robes…" he wasn't sure why his father needed to hear that. It was pretty obvious what he was wearing.

"I thought I told you to go change" said Lucius

"Why would I need to change?"

"Because the dark lord will be here soon!"

"What? Why?" He immediately regretted saying that, as his aunt let out a loud shriek.

"He doesn't know" she looked to Draco with large eyes. Cocking her head to one side.

"Know what?"

Bellatrix smiled cynically, she practically skipped over to him. "The little banshee girl is back." she said, with both hands on his shoulders. "Apparently she survived the resurrecting."

"She's back, really?" His expression instantly changed into pure happiness. This was the first bit of good news that he'd gotten in a while.

"Yes" Bellatrix squeaked. She jerked Draco around, and shoved him back up the stairs. "Now go change!" she shouted, suddenly angry.

* * *

><p>Lixella took a deep breath in, trying to calm her nerves. She stood in the woods outside of Malfoy manor. Her uncle had already headed towards the house, to announce that she was there. She stared for a bit, at the twisting metal of the front gates. Her lips twisted into a sly smile. Draco was somewhere on the other side of that gate. In a matter of minutes she would be entering, all eyes on her; But, she really only cared to be seen by one of those pairs of eyes. She turned to the woods, the snow was barely even cold in her black leather boots. She let out a screech so high pitched that it couldn't be heard by human ears, muggle or not.<p>

Suddenly, a hundred banshees began emerging from beyond the trees. Their white gowns flowing around them, making it seem like they were part of the snow. They all stopped in front of her, gazing at her with stony expressions. Then, one of them emerged in the front of the crowd.

"Cordellia!" Lixella shouted. She ran into Cordellia's open arms. It was good to have her mentor back.

"I'm glad to see you've returned" said Cordellia, "But, where are our sisters? Surely you didn't return without them?"

There was a soft rustling noise, a strange wind had begun blowing. They all looked towards it's direction. The wind swirled, picking up loose snow, and knocking it from tree branches in powdery white puffs. In the direction of the wind, was a clan of banshees, soaring in from the distance. At the head of the group was Aileen; Her black hair shining in the cloudy afternoon light. She landed gracefully, along with the others.

"We are here" she said, "Are you rea…" she stopped abruptly upon noticing the banshee next to Lixella. "C-Cordellia?" she asked in a soft voice, "Are you…"

"It is so good to see you again, Aileen" said Cordellia.

She glided over to her best friend, and embraced her tightly. The two of them were near tears. Aileen could not believe what she was seeing; She had suspected her best friend to be dead. Now, Cordellia was a banshee, just like her.

"I never thought I would get to see you again" said Aileen, "I can't believe you're alive. I can't thank you enough for what you did for me."

"It was nothing, Aileen. You needed me, and I was happy to help."

"You died for my sisters, Cordellia." Aileen was choking back tears, trying to remain strong. "You died to save a race that wasn't your own."

"I would do it again, if I had to" said Cordellia, "But, I am not the only one worth thanking here." She turned to Lixella.

"I am forever in your debt, young witch" Aileen bowed, "I never imagined that I would see my best friend again."

Lixella said nothing, but bowed back. A clicking noise sounded form behind her. Their attention shifted to the tall iron gate. It had begun opening. She turned back to the banshees, and nodded. They got into formation, forming three parallel lines. Lixella stood at the front center, Aileen and Cordellia on either side.

"Remember" she said to them both, "Fake it... fake it as if your life depends on it. Because it probably does."

* * *

><p>Draco felt the familiar sensation of sickening fear as he sat next to his mother. He found it oddly easier to manage, for once. He blamed this mostly on the fact that he knew Lixella wasn't far away. Voldemort had entered only a few moments ago, looking less than pleased.<p>

"This had better be good, Severus" he hissed.

"I promise, my lord, the girl will be here" Snape replied.

"Are you sure she has done it?" asked Voldemort, as he took his seat. Snape nodded. "Have you seen them, Severus?"

"No" Snape said nonchalantly, "But, the girl insists that they will be present."

Draco mentally slapped his forehead. Of course, Lixella would choose now to be cheeky to Snape. She must have just glared and told Snape the banshees were there, without having any evidence. As much as he loved her, he could not stand how terrible she was at picking her battles.

"So, you never saw any of them?" Voldemort asked, shifting in his chair.

"No, my lord" said Snape

"And, what exactly am I to do if she is lying, Severus?" Voldemort's tone became slightly annoyed.

"I would suggest killing her, my lord"

Draco was going to murder Snape for that comment. He presented the idea of killing Lixella, as if he were simply presenting the time. Suddenly, the drawing room door opened, and Zander Cruxshade came striding in. He made his way to the end of the table, and bowed low.

"She is here, my lord" he said.

Voldemort got up from his seat, and made his way to the front door. The group of death eaters followed behind him. They all stood out front, gazing around. Some people were even standing on their toes, trying to see over the people in front of them.

"Well, someone open the gates!" Voldemort shouted

Yaxley and Dawlish made their way down the long entrance path. They opened the twisting iron gates. There was a still silence, as everyone stared intently at the front gates. Suddenly, Draco heard it, the low noise of gravel crunching beneath boots. It grew closer and closer; Then, she came marching through the front gates.

Everyone seemed to gawk at the number of figures coming down the path. There had to be at least a hundred banshees. All of them in white flowing gowns, their white skin shinning in the dull cloudy sunlight. Each of them stared straight forward with intensity, their black eyes gazing stony and soldier like.

"She couldn't have raised _all_ of them" Bellatrix said in disbelief.

"Quiet, Bellatrix!" Voldemort scolded. He was staring at the banshees with a greedy look in his eye.

Draco watched her enter with a smirk. "_Damn, Cruxshade_" he thought, watching her march down the entrance like a war general. She stuck out like a swore thumb. Her outfit was the only thing that was completely black, in a sea of white. Her hair was tossed in messy curls, to one side of her head. They cascaded down the side of her face, looking as rebellious as her expression. She was just smiling that sly smile, as she strutted in the black leather boots. She looked as if she was about to kick the ass of the next person to speak to her.

The centerpiece of this outfit, however, was the jacket. It was the only non-leather like thing on her. It was a ground length military style jacket, that hugged her curves in all of the right places. The neckline came down low, revealing the white corseted top underneath. The waistline left her legs visible as it made it's way to the ground. The jacket was some thick material, with swirling patterns all over it. Small silver buttons held it together. It was topped with a small black witch's hat. The skirt flowed so perfectly behind her, that she appeared like an action hero, walking away from an explosion.

She was back, and looked as if she had just been through a war. Her expression was stony and serious. Draco partially wished that they were the only two there. This was the sexiest he had seen her since the attic. In fact, she looked different from then. It was as if she had grown up, matured; She had gone from being a rebellious teenager, to being a woman. The parade of banshees stopped just before the front entrance. Lixella kept her gaze straight on Voldemort. Her eyes were an intense teal, due to the dark make-up around them. Wait…her eyes were teal? Draco had just noticed the change. How did they turn teal? And when did part of her hair become white? He was now, thoroughly confused.

"Your army, my lord" said Lixella.

She was playing up this character very well. Voldemort was so focused on the banshees, that he hardly noticed her lying smirk.

"Nicely done, Miss Cruxshade" he said, as he glided down the stairs. "How many are there?"

Lixella looked out, surveying the banshee's expressions. "One hundred" she started counting them, "Oh no…sorry, One hundred and twenty…six."

"You resurrected them all?" he asked

"I resurrected around 80 of them" she nodded, "the rest were scattered around England, Ireland, and Scotland."

"Do they all obey your orders?" He asked, still unconvinced that she could command this army.

Lixella smirked, she was having too much fun with this role. She straightened up in salute, and the banshees followed her. She then bowed low, Voldemort watched with approval as every single banshee bowed as well.

"can they fight?"

"They can take out 10 people with a single scream." said Lixella, "That's at least 1,260 enemies dead; Just by opening their mouths. Plus, they take souls in order to survive; But, only the souls of the dead. At night they can camouflage themselves into their surroundings, becoming completely invisible. Flying is second nature to them, as well."

"Are they willing to die without question?"

"All they ask for is land" said Lixella, watching Voldemort's expressions.

"Land?" he asked, puzzled.

"The ministry, prior to your take over, did not believe banshees were real. Their land has been so restricted that they have hardly anywhere to go. All they need is land…and the souls of a few dead." Lixella paused.

"What kind of dead?"

"Any kind, really" she said, "They don't even have to be magical. Muggles, Mudbloods, Squibs; They just need souls to purify." She knew that she was using the right choice of words by the pleased expression on his face. It was a verbal battle, she had to be sneaky and fake everything.

Voldemort nodded, "Very well then" he said still gazing at the army in front of him. "You may dismiss them."

Lixella turned around, and nodded to Aileen and Cordellia. The army of banshees then glided row by row into the twilight bathed distance. She watched with a sense of victory. The first step in her plan to fool Voldemort had worked perfectly.

"Good to see your still alive, Miss Cruxshade" he said, watching the banshees soar away. Lixella wasn't sure how to respond, so she just smiled. "An interesting day it has been" he said, turning to face everyone. "I do hope to see some more progress in our mission. Particularly the capture of Harry Potter." His gaze fell on Lucius Malfoy, who had unspokenly been named head of the Potter hunt.

"I'm sure we'll find him soon, my lord" said Bellatrix. "No one can hide from you!"

Lixella forgot how much she hated watching Bellatrix swoon over Voldemort. As entertaining as it was, it was also sickening.

"Surely!" exclaimed Voldemort, "Nonetheless, I have taken further measurements. I have placed Nagini in Godric's Hollow, should he think to pay a visit. The sooner we find him, the sooner we can begin cleaning up the rest of the world."

"Killing the weeds!" laughed Bellatrix, quoting Voldemort almost exactly.

Voldemort simply nodded to his fan girl. "I will see you all soon." He then apparated away in a cloud of black smoke.

Lixella let out a long sigh, trying to calm herself down. The crowd began leaving, heading towards the front gate. She looked down to her feet, wanting more than anything to remove the boots. Her aunt owned some rather painful heels. The rest of the outfit, however, was fine. It certainly did a good job of keeping the cold out. She stared back up at the iron gates, as they closed. People were still rushing around her. Filling the air with the sound of feet crunching on gravel. It was over, her big fake return to Voldemort was finally over.

She lingered on the sight of the twilight sky for a moment. Then, two arms wrapped around her waist. It was hardly noticeable in the thick jacket. Her heart skipped a beat as the arms spun her around. Before she knew it, before she could take a breath, he was kissing her. It was as if he'd been waiting to pounce. He was practically drinking her in. He kept tightening his grip on her waist, pressing her as close to him as possible. She certainly wasn't refusing any of it, she had missed him just as much. She wasn't even sure if any of the adults were watching them; A small part of her didn't care. She just wrapped her arms around his neck, loving the way his hair felt between her fingers. He nearly ripped her jacket off with how badly he wanted her. Having her lips back on his, was the best feeling in the world.

"Mm…"he grunted with delight, pulling himself away. "Dear Salazar you look good in that outfit!"

"Oh, you like it?" she asked, flirtatiously.

"Yes!" he nodded vigorously, eyeing her up and down. "Yes…I definitely like it. You should wear this kind of thing all of the time! Or, just wear nothing…I'm honestly fine with either."

Lixella blushed and punched him in the shoulder. "I am not walking around naked for you, Draco."

"Okay…" he said, thinking. "What about walking around in those sexy laced panties of yours? The ones you usually wear when introducing me to your friends." He winked.

Lixella turned a shade of red, and buried her face in her hands. "Ugh…I hate you, Draco Malfoy" she said, grinning.

"Yeah…" he pulled her closer to him, "I know you do."

They stood there for a few minutes; Just holding onto one another, before making their way back inside. Finally, after the months of worrying, they were back together. But, the year wasn't over yet. Both of them knew that they were in for a long winter; Then, there was the school semester to come. It was going to be challenging, surely. However, for right now, they were both just focused on the person they were holding. That was all that mattered.

* * *

><p>Finally back in England...sorry about skipping around so much, this chapter was a bit jumbled!<p>

Thank you for reading you guys! I hope you enjoyed it ^_^

Now for the replies:

Natures Nightmare: I hope there was a good amount of Bellatrix in here for you. There's more to come, I promise.

DizzyPotter: YES! someone got my reference to AVPM. Agreed AVPS is better...plus, I adore the way they portray Lucius...oh the dancing XD

Raine Amorial: and I thank you for those reviews! I love hearing from my reader's YOU GUYS ARE SO AWESOME! and yes, new Pansy is much more tolerable...thank god!Just wait until Lixella meets her, that's a funny scene XD

altissimorangerocks: YES! another person to get my AVPM reference...thank you!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx HERE'S MORE! as usual ^_^

thank you for the review you guys, I'll have the next one up as soon as I can!


	21. Parchment 21: The Window

Sorry that this is so late you guys. I've been working on theater rehearsal and sculpture projects.

College is trying to take over my life! But, I can't just leave you guys hanging!

So, enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 21: The Window

Snow, there was something about it that just made everything seem prettier. The way that the light reflected from the moon, onto the perfectly white ground; It made the atmosphere so much more calming. The view beyond Lixella's window was a blanket of pure white, sparkling with perfection. It was strange, to see something so lovely while her life was just the opposite. It was like this last year as well; The snow was falling, Christmas was coming, and she could not get into the spirit. Thoughts just kept rushing through her mind. How would she get the banshees through the war? Where was her father? Would she ever see him again?

She was losing sleep over these thoughts; As well as the serenading from the ever noisy animals outside of her bedroom window. Lixella certainly did not miss the lack of quiet in this room. She thought back to last year, when she could get some sleep in silence. Last year seemed so different, and yet so similar. Around this time last year, she was spending her time at Malfoy manor, thinking her parents were dead, and dreading the moment when she would finally meet Voldemort.

She turned onto her right side, and began staring at her nightstand. There was a small brown box, opened and littered with tissue paper. Inside sat a very important vial. A vial containing one of her memories. It was supposed to solve everything, because it would tell her about an amulet. The amulet that she had since she was small. It never belonged to her mother or grandmother. Lixella could not recall when she had received it. It had come to her in a rather tattered old box. Ever since then, she had worn it around her neck; As if she did not want to ever lose it. The words from the note attached, haunted her thoughts.

_All will return to you, once you can remember this._

That was it, just that one sentence. Lixella had a theory, that the memory in the vial would tell her about the amulet. Then, she could remember everything. She just needed a pensieve. That was all that stood between her and her lost childhood. Lixella closed her eyes, trying to remember any hint to the amulet. It seemed familiar; As if she had worn it before. A room, blurred out, it suffocated her. Perhaps it was then, maybe…maybe it was…

"_craaa!"_ the caw of a bird interrupted her thoughts. Lixella threw her covers off, and marched over to the window. She yanked it open with such force that the window panels crashed against the hinges. Her eyes darted around, trying to find the bird. "_craa!_" she looked up to find a raven, perched on a nearby branch. She grabbed her wand off of the nightstand, and pointed it to the annoying animal.

"_Langlock!" _The raven's tongue became stuck to the roof of it's beak. Lixella smirked,glaring out at the twisting tree branches. She wanted to be sure that there weren't any other feathered friends hiding outside her window. Suddenly, something caught her eye. She squinted, leaning out of her window a bit. In the distance, just beyond the outside of Cruxshade manor, was a wolf. It sat at attention; As if it were waiting patiently for someone. It had black fur, which surprised Lixella. The only wolves she had ever seen, were grey, or white. It seemed to be looking in the direction of Lixella's window. Most animals would be startled, and running from the racket that she was making. But, this wolf was simply sitting there, staring at Lixella. It was almost uncomfortable, the way it's reflective eyes were fixated on her. It seemed to want to tell her something.

"_craa!"_ the raven, who had managed to unstick it's tongue, pulled her from her thoughts again. She glared at the bird once more. "_Stupefy!" _The raven shot back and began wobbling. It turned with a sort of drunken stupor, and fell from the tree branch. Lixella stuck her head out of the window, "I was nice last year! This year it's war!" she yelled.

She shut the window and locked it; As if locking it would keep the noise from entering. Her face hit the soft pillow, and she instantly fell asleep.

* * *

><p>The door knocker sounded, echoing throughout the foyer. Aunt Iris came striding out of the drawing room. She was met by Lita, who opened the door. Greetings were exchanged as Narcissa and Draco stepped through the doorway. Aunt Iris paused, feeling as if she had forgotten something.<p>

"Dear Merlin…" she muttered, turning to Lita. "Lita, where is Lixella?"

"Lita thinks that Miss Lixella is upstairs. Perhaps getting ready?"

Aunt Iris rolled her eyes. She knew that Lixella was not getting ready. It was more likely that Lixella was still asleep. The girl's sleep schedule was ridiculous, it was nearly midday.

"Why don't you go upstairs and get her, Draco." said Narcissa, "I need to discuss some things with Iris."

"Yeah, okay" he shrugged.

"Do you know where her room is?" asked aunt Iris.

Draco simply nodded, and made his way up the stairs. Of course he knew where her room was. Last year he had to deliver her a package, and she had thoroughly embarrassed him in front of her relatives. He let out a short laugh, as he ascended the stairs, remembering how much he hated her at that point. If someone had told him then, that he would be in love with her within a year, he would not have believed them.

He, finally, reached her door at the end of the hallway. "Hey, Lixella," he called out while knocking. There was no answer. He tried once more, "Lixella?" nothing, "Are you in there?" Draco slowly opened the door, half expecting a shoe to fly at him. However, all he found was Lixella, curled up in her bed, asleep. He rolled his eyes, walking over to the bed. Of course she was still asleep, Lixella was practically nocturnal. He tried to shake her awake, but she didn't stir. He shook a little harder, still nothing. Draco looked over, to the other side of the bed, and grabbed a pillow. He smirked, then hit her square in the face with it. Lixella merely winced, let out a small groan, and rolled to her other side. "Seriously…" he scoffed, planting his face in his hands. How could she not have woken up from that?

"Well, guess there's only one thing to do, then" he removed his wand, pointing it over Lixella. _"Aguamente,_" a stream of cold water splashed onto her face. Lixella shrieked, and jolted up in shock. Her eyes darted to Draco, who was nearly on the floor with laughter.

"I swear to god I will kill you, Draco Malfoy!" she shrieked, jumping from the bed and toppling him to the ground. She pinned him to the floor, her hair dripping wet. He kept laughing, staring up at her angry expression.

"I'm sorry, dear" he said, smirking, "Did I wake you?" Lixella let out something that sounded close to a growl. "So, you didn't enjoy my wake up call?" he said, still laughing ever louder.

"Oh of course, _dearest_" she spat, "I just adore being woken up by the rushing waters of the arctic!"

"Glad to know" he laughed, "I'll make a mental note to wake you up like that more often. Since you enjoy it so much!" Lixella growled once more, glaring at him. "You know, I could get used to this," he eyed her up and down. "The whole wet t-shirt, lack of pants, and the fact that your pinning me to the ground. It hardly has the intimidating angle that you seem to be going for." Lixella's glare turned into a twisted smile. She leaned in close; As if she was about to kiss him. Then, once she was less than an inch from his face, she rapidly shook her head. Drops of water flew everywhere, including onto Draco. Lixella stopped, admiring her work.

"Sorry, darling" she said, cocking her head to the side. "I guess the whole sexy, wet t-shirt thing only works for me."

Draco laughed, "was that _really _necessary?"

Lixella stood up. "Was splashing water on me necessary?" she asked, heading to the closet.

"You asked for that one…" he sat down on her bed, "I tried being nice, but you wouldn't budge."

Lixella stuck her head out of the closet door, "I am just _so_ sorry for wasting that small glimmer of kindness."

"you should be" he said, "I mean, honestly, I am just too good of a person. I try to wake you up, and what do I get in return for my selflessness? A face full of cold water. Not to mention, you have managed to dampen my favorite jacket."

Lixella exited the closet, rolling her eyes at him. She had changed rather quickly. Which was a step up from her normal hour long routine. "Aww" she taunted, "Did I ruin, yet another, of Drakie poo's favorite jackets? I am a terrible person…bad, Lixella" she pretended to scold herself. "Why are you here, anyway?" she asked.

"We're supposed to go Christmas shopping with my mom and your aunt."

"We're still celebrating that holiday?"

Draco brought a hand to his forehead. "Yes, Lixella," he laughed, "It's something that happens _every _year."

"It just seems too…normal, going Christmas shopping."

"Well, I am sorry that we can't be having constant meetings with Voldemort."

Lixella laughed, "Such a shame. Death eater meetings are my _favorite_ part of the holidays."

"I know," Draco shook his head, "Forget the presents, we should just spend all month watching him murder people. Much more in the spirit of the season!"

Lixella sat on the bed. She laughed and pulled him in for a kiss. "My thoughts exactly, dear! Though, I'm sure the extra time with the dark lord would make your aunt _far_ too happy. She might even become _pleasant_!" Lixella gasped.

He let out a rather loud snort of laughter. "Damn, I missed you…" he said, leaning in and kissing her.

"I love you, too" she smiled.

* * *

><p>The two of them made their way back downstairs. Narcissa was talking to aunt Iris very closely; As if the subject of their conversation wasn't to be heard by anyone else. Lixella shrugged this off. Secrets were not uncommon in her world. In fact, they were growing ever more prominent. The world was just growing with questions. Lixella was getting tired of not knowing answers on a daily basis. It made her feel uncomfortably weak; As if she was unable to control anything in her life.<p>

The party of four made their way to Diagon Alley by car. A small sigh escaped Lixella's lips. It seemed that every time she entered this place, it only grew more dismal than before. Nearly all of the shops were broken into, or abandoned. Barely anyone kept their store windows open to view. The whole place lacked a sense of security. Not to mention that it was almost entirely deserted. It did not hold the usual grand array of Christmas spirit. Making it nearly impossible for Lixella to believe that it was, once again, Christmas time.

She found it hard to buy a present for anyone. Lixella had no idea what Ron, Hermione, and Harry were up to; Nor did she have a way of getting their presents to them, seeing as they were on the run. She wondered who else was on the run. Neville and Luna were, according to Draco, wreaking havoc at Hogwarts. There was also the case of Nym. She wanted to get her best friend something; However, Lixella was a tad hesitant to send anything by mail. Now that Voldemort was in power, mail could easily be searched for connections to undesirables. She wasn't sure if mail was being checked. Expecting the worst, she decided to not buy presents this year. Her mood wasn't very giving anyway.

By the looks of it, neither was the rest of the world. Lixella had never really seen any truly homeless people before. There were moments, in America, when she would pass by them on muggle streets. However, it was uncommon to see so many people huddled in the street. They seemed to be hopeless, as if they had just given up. She locked eyes with one of them. An older woman, with long dark hair was sitting huddled in a doorframe to an abandoned shop. Her heart skipped a beat at first. Without seeing her face close up, the woman very much resembled Lixella's mother. That could, in fact, be someone's mother. That woman had a family, maybe even children. But, why was she out on the streets? Surely she couldn't not have anywhere to go during this time of year. The woman stared at Lixella, with a beaten and defeated expression. Lixella lingered on the sight of her, she almost stopped walking. She wanted to help this woman, there had to be a way to help her.

Something tugged at Lixella's left arm, and began nudging her forward again. Her gaze was ripped away from the woman in the doorframe. She turned to find Draco, shaking his head slightly, with an expression that said, "_There's nothing you can do. Just keep walking._" Lixella followed his discrete orders, and kept walking. She tried to avert her gaze from the people on the street. It was taking everything to keep her from extending some kind of hand to all of them. She wondered what it was like for someone like Voldemort to walk down this street. Surely he could do it without a shred of remorse. He would not feel a single glimmer of humanity towards these people. Lixella was, once again, reminded of how much she despised Voldemort's new world.

Several new shops had sprung up in this new version of Diagon Alley. Most of them were devoted to the dark arts. This was hardly surprising to Lixella, she had been expecting these. They made their way through several of them. Lixella found a few mildly interesting things. She found herself more bored than anything, which she blamed on her past adventures in America. After all, she had managed to raise the dead; There isn't much to study past that.

Her attention was fixated on a rather lovely looking ring. It was a turquoise eye set in silver. The eye seemed to just gaze up at Lixella, like it possessed some kind of vast secret. There was a wonky sort of circle carved around it, with two spiraling curls coming out of either side. It resembled the banshee character for luck. The label beneath it read, "_Cursed_". Lixella let out a small laugh at the irony of it all.

"What's funny?" Draco had suddenly appeared next to her.

She pointed to the ring, "That lucky ring is apparently cursed."

"How do you know it's a lucky ring?"

"It just looks like a lucky symbol."

"It's an eye."

"I think it's an evil eye, actually," Lixella leaned closer to the glass. "Which just adds to it's good luck qualities."

"Something called an _evil eye_ is lucky?" He looked at the ring with a puzzled expression. "Well, it's not very lucky if it's previous owner cursed it."

"I wonder how cursed objects become cursed," Lixella said, cocking her head to one side.

"Easy," said Draco, "someone curses them."

"Yeah, but why would you do that?"

"You ask a lot of useless questions, Lixella."

"You don't ask enough."

Draco simply rolled his eyes, and dropped the subject. There was no point in arguing with Lixella about this. She was clearly too wrapped up in her own thoughts; Which were now pondering on why cursed objects were cursed. She did this often, lingering on some puzzling question. Lixella would think about something so much that, eventually, she would over think it. It was extremely unhealthy, in Draco's opinion. Some things should just be left alone.

"Oh, dear!" Aunt Iris suddenly cried, upon noticing the time. "I misjudged the time by quite a bit. We must make our way to Knockturn Alley. Zander has opened a new store in that awful shop space."

"You mean the one that always fails?" asked Lixella.

Aunt Iris nodded, her eyes wide. They began making their way towards the cursed shop.

"It certainly isn't bringing in any money, without business," said Narcissa.

"It's practically losing him money," said Aunt Iris, in a shrill voice. "But, despite my efforts, he insists on keeping it. He says that he just has a strange feeling that it will prove useful one day."

"Surely he doesn't run business on instinct alone?" asked Narcissa, a bit surprised.

"No he's usually very sensible about his business endeavors." Aunt Iris brought a hand to her forehead, "This is just something he picked up one day, and refuses to put it down."

Knockturn alley had not seemed to change much. If anything, it resembled Diagon alley more. It seemed a bit more tolerable to walk down, though. There were quite a bit less people huddled on the streets. Lixella wondered what kind of shop would now stand in the cursed space. The last one, from what she could recall, was filled with materials for scrying, as well as vast texts on fortune-telling. It had been owned by two people, whose names and faces escaped Lixella. She did not know much of them, though. They were just people who paid rent to her uncle Zander. It, certainly, was not her favorite shop to visit as a child. From what she could recall, she much more preferred searching through the ever changing collection of objects at Bourgin and Burke's.

"Aha!" called a voice form the distance. Lixella's thoughts were interrupted as she set her gaze on uncle Zander. He was striding up the street, towards them. A dark blue traveling cloak was fastened around his neck. "I thought I would see you lot eventually," he said in a cheery voice. "Though, I must say that I expected to see you a bit sooner," he tilted his head expectantly towards aunt Iris. She merely waived him off. "Well, I'm eager to show you all the new store," he clapped his hands together. "It's quite a lovely place, now that it's all done up."

Uncle Zander was not lying. The store looked rather welcoming. It's lanterns let off a lovely glow in the evening light, that lit up a good portion of the street. The windows had been wiped clean, and sparkled with dazzling brilliance. The whole place had a rather inviting quality to it; Which was strange for a shop in Knockturn alley. The inside resembled another bookstore. The shelves were stacked high with old looking books. In the corner was a small countertop area. The whole place smelled oddly of coffee and burning firewood.

Lixella looked around the new store. It seemed to have a different feel to it. She walked around, weaving through the shelves. Her attention was suddenly caught by a slender black cat, who had perched itself atop one of the shelves. It peered down at Lixella with large green eyes. "Aren't you gorgeous," she said. The cat strode over to a ladder, and made it's way to the floor. Lixella walked over and began petting it, admiring it's silky black fur.

"You know, most people think that black cats are bad luck," said Narcissa, as she leaned down to pet the cat. "But, I don't think something this pretty could possibly be unlucky."

"My mom used to have a black cat," Lixella said, her eyes staring distantly at the cat's pointed ears. "His name was Helsing."

"Helsing?" Narcissa seemed to question the name.

"Like the character from _Dracula_," Lixella said nonchalantly. "My mom, despite the efforts of my grandmother, had a serious secret passion for muggle literature. She could recite Edgar Allen Poe's works by heart."

"Ah, yes," Narcissa nodded, "I remember how much she loved those books. There was one in particular that I think she used to carry with her often. _Alice in Wonderland_, that was it. Your dad said that she used to read it to you at night."

Lixella's eyes found the floor, her gaze still distant. "I don't remember her reading that to me." She sighed, "I don't remember her very much at all." It was true, Lixella's memory of her mother was slipping. Her mom wasn't present in her everyday life, not anymore. With so much going on, Lixella found it hard to concentrate on just picturing her mother's face.

"Well," Narcissa tried to pick up the subject, "She looked exactly like you. Though, she wasn't quite as outspoken. However, there were a few times where her wit could challenge even your father's. That's saying a lot, considering that your dad spent most of his schooling poking fun at my husband. I daresay you are just like him, Lixella…just as sharp. But, you seem much better at containing yourself; I'll give your mother credit for that one." Lixella smiled weakly. "I think that, if she were here, your mother would be very proud of you. I know I would be proud, if I had a daughter who was giving up everything for everyone else."

Lixella let out a small sigh, "Thank you, Narcissa."

"Ah!" exclaimed Narcissa, "Finally using my name, are you? I wondered how long it would take for you to stop calling me Mrs. Malfoy. Honestly child, I did not know how much longer I could repeat myself."

Lixella laughed, "I'm sorry…I guess I'm just not used to using your first name."

"I have known you since you were two years old; Though, you can't remember it. Not to mention that you've spent part of your life terrorizing my son. And yes, I am counting before _and_ after that summer. You are still terrorizing him!" Narcissa shook her head, laughing. "He is genuinely happy, Lixella. It is strange, I have not seen him this happy in quite a while. You know, I think I actually caught him laughing the other day. Who knows what absurd things will happen next?"

Lixella was nearly clutching her rib cage with laughter. She thoroughly enjoyed Narcissa's humor towards her son. However, it held quite some truth to it. It was, as she said, rare to see Draco with any expression other than serious; At least, it was so in public.

"Ready to go, Ladies?" uncle Zander called from across the store.

The two of them stopped petting the black cat, and made their way towards the exit. Draco gave an almost concerned expression when he noticed them leaving the store together. "What were you discussing with my mother?" he asked as Lixella passed him.

"Nothing…" she said, elusively.

"Oh don't lie, Lixella," Narcissa turned to them. "We were discussing you, dear." She nodded to Draco, who gave them both a puzzled expression. "Don't worry, I didn't tell her anything _too_ embarrassing."

Lixella stiffled a laugh, trying to hide her obvious amusement at Narcissa's nonchalant humor. She gazed across the street, smiling broadly. Her smile left, however, when she noticed a strange sight. Across the road sat a rather old bench. There was not much of anything special about it. It seemed to just be a bench. Next to it stood a tall dim lamp post; Now glowing in the evening light. There was something hauntingly familiar about this bench. It was as if Lixella had seen it before. Her head turned suddenly, to a window. It sat across from the bench, above her uncle's store. The window was dark, as if nothing existed beyond it. She could not shake the feeling that she knew what was on the other side of that window. The blurry sight of a dusty window pane flashed through her mind, along with the feeling of suffocating.

"Hey…" a voice pulled her from her thoughts, "You okay?"

She shook her thoughts away, turning her attention to Draco. "Oh, yeah…fine…I just," she lingered on the window once more, "never mind."

Lixella tried to push the image out of her mind. It could not have meant much, that was just an old bench. There were thousands like it. She must have just had a sudden out of body experience or something. Clearing her thoughts, she took Draco's outstretched hand, and made her way away from the strange window.

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><p>I hope you guys enjoyed it! I will have the next one up as soon as my school work goes down, which should be fairly soon ^_^<p>

Happy Travels!


	22. Parchment 22: Lita's Crush

Dear Merlin, I posted that last one too quickly!

I left out so much stuff that was supposed to be in there. I have split the previous chapter 22 into two separate ones.

Golly that scared me, I thought I had left out a big part for you guys!

I am so sorry, writers block is positively attrocious!

I blame Nargles!

Nonetheless, Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 22: Lita's crush

Cold window pane, bathed in the mist of hot breath as it appears then disappears. There was a bench, sitting next to a lamp post. All was calm and peaceful as she stared out of the window. There was a slight fog outside, masking the ground in a delicate cloud of white. The world seemed so similar. She was trapped, always trapped, always suffocating. Footsteps sounded behind her, a doorknob clicked. Her small hand left a heated imprint on the chilled window. A blurred face leaned down next to her ear. She had to be strong, like her parents. She had to make it out of here somehow. Hot breath blew past her left ear.

"Ready to go, little princess?" said the mystery voice.

The ruffles of her skirt brushed the seat as she stood up. There was nothing she could do, she was suffocating. Her hand was wrapped tightly in the flesh of another's. It lead her away from the window; And away from the outside world. Today was the day; Today would change everything; Today, her eyes would turn purple.

Lixella woke with a jolt, suppressing a scream as she realized it was past midnight. She held herself up from the mattress with her shaking arms. A cold sweat had broken out over her entire body. She had only dreamt it. Letting out a sigh of relief, she threw the covers off of her. She wanted water, her throat had become dry from the heavy breathing. The hallway was long and dark. The only light source was that of the moonlight, that swirled through the windows with grace. It was silent, too silent. Lixella hated silence.

She finally reached the bathroom, opening the door with a click. The porcelain curved sink sparkled in the dim lighting. A faint glow of white was bathed over everything.

Lixella did not feel like trying to locate a cup. Instead she put the sides of her hands together, cupping her palms. The sound of the rushing water was calming; Along with the feeling of it running down her throat.

No matter how she tried, she could not get the bench out of her mind. Why was it so familiar? Lixella desperately hated her memory loss. She leaned forward, thumping her head against the mirror over the sink. Her reflection stared back at her, she was not angry, she was not depressed, she was just tired. Tired of everything, of her memory loss, of the war, of her father's existence. But, she couldn't let any of it get to her. She was going to fight her way past all of this. Problems were nothing more than a challenge, and Lixella did not like being underestimated. She couldn't just give up, it wasn't the way she worked. It wasn't the way a Cruxshade worked. As her father would tell her, "Life is one constant battle. If you aren't prepared to fight it, then you'd better start training. There is no easy way out of it, and death should never be your final answer."

Her dad was one of the most courageous people in her life. He had this way of laughing at danger. He would get himself caught up in terrible situations, but always have a clever way out of it. He would often say that he was just searching for entertainment. Lixella laughed, thinking about how much she was like him. She was daddy's little girl, and proud of it.

She wondered where he was? Was he still alive? He certainly had to be, there hadn't been any report of him being caught. Lixella missed her father, terribly. There were times when she wished he was still dead, just so that it would be easier to think about him. Having him alive only made things complicated. What if he was caught? And, Voldemort killed him? What if Voldemort made Lixella kill her own father? She couldn't do that. No one could make her kill someone that she loved. "I'm not some wild horse that needs it's spirit broken," she said. She couldn't let anyone control her like that, not even Voldemort.

Her eyes found the bathroom window. She walked over, staring out at the open night. She pressed her palm against the cold glass. Translucent teal eyes met hers; As she stared beyond her reflection and into the wild woods. A large black shadow shifted, just barely in the distance. Lixella squinted, trying to figure out what was moving. Had something moved? Or, was that her imagination? She unlocked the window, and pushed it up. Leaning out of it, she could now see the calming snow covered ground better. She surveyed the scenery beyond the window, paying close attention to the space between the trees.

A large black figure moved out of the forest. Lixella's eyes grew wide as she watched the large black wolf perch itself outside of the manor once more. She shook her head in disbelief. It was that wolf again. Why was this wolf here every night? The wolf surveyed the terrain, sitting at attention. His reflective eyes gleamed, adjusting to the night light. They peered around, until they suddenly met Lixella's teal ones. The wolf stopped, sitting motionless, and stared up at Lixella. She stared back down at him, watching his movements closely. Did it want her to come outside? Then, as if it had read her thoughts, the wolf nodded.

Lixella rushed out of the bathroom, so quickly that she nearly tripped. After yanking her jacket from her closet, she sprinted down the tower stairs. The front door flung open, from the force of her palm. She ran across the large lawn, huffing in the dry winter air. The snow was deathly cold, biting at the flesh on her feet. In her haste to leave, she had not grabbed shoes. The wolf sat still, staring as she made her way towards him. Then, just as she came within 2 yards of him, he turned around. "Wait!" Lixella shouted, as he darted into the forest.

She followed close behind him. Thoughts rushing through her mind. This had to be a sign of some sort. Perhaps something to lead her towards her father. But, what if it wasn't anything good? What if this was a trap? She could be stepping into some sort of trap, set to get answers from her. None the less, Lixella wanted to know. Something inside of her kept driving her forward. She could not pass up this opportunity. The wolf's black fur rustled softly as it ran through the trees. It darted around a few corners, it's paws digging up the earth. Until, eventually, Lixella could not run anymore. She was getting a good distance from Cruxshade manor. She watched as the wolf ran into the distance, and hopped over a hillside. Lixella stayed back, trying to figure out what to do. It was freezing, and the forest floor was lit by dim rays of white. She gripped tightly to her jacket.

Then, she heard the sound of a twig snapping close by. It was so distant, hardly audible. She reached for her wand, but found nothing. In her haste to catch the wolf, she had forgotten her most important clothing item. She listened closer, trying to figure out where the sound came from. Her feet moved slowly across the snowy terrain, aching from their contact with the icy ground. There were faint voices, coming form somewhere in the distance. She made her way towards the muffled noises. It was strange, being able to hear the sounds, but unable to see their owners. She came to a small clearing. There was no one around, aside from the few mice that ran across the forest floor. Lixella stopped suddenly. It was as if a wall had been built, and she could not go past it. A voice, barely audible, muffled a whisper that sounded something close to, "Harry".

"Hello…" said Lixella, watching the forest floor closely. She walked around the edge of the clearing, trying to hear that voice again. The clearing had a feeling to it, as if she did not want to go there. Her palm lifted up, and reached out towards the edge of the clearing. Just as she was about to cross the invisible barrier, she stopped. Something was telling her to back away, to run home. Her hand moved away, she turned around, and headed straight for Cruxshade manor.

She came to the very edge of the forest, her feet moving diligently towards Cruxshade Manor. Before she knew it she had walked back through the door, up the tower stairs, and gotten into her bed. The next thing she knew, she was waking up to the bright light of morning. Lixella was confused, more than she had ever been. Had last night been a dream? Had she been in the forest? The last thing she remembered was walking towards the muffled voices. "Dear Merlin," she whispered, "I despise memory loss."

She lifted herself off of the bed, and headed to her closet. After dressing herself, she made her way downstairs. Aunt Iris was sitting in the small parlor room, sipping a cup of tea and reading _The Daily Prophet_. Lixella was happy to find that it was still fairly early; Which meant no criticism about her sleeping habits. Instead, Aunt Iris chose to criticize her choice of clothing. "Young lady," she said in her shrill voice, "what are you wearing?"

Lixella looked down at her ensemble of a simple skirt and black top. "A skirt?" she said with a puzzled look.

"I hope that is not what you intend on wearing to the party tonight."

Lixella shook her head in disbelief, "what party?" This statement did not help her Aunt's expression.

"The Malfoy's Christmas party, of course." Aunt Iris was questioning if her niece had lost her memory again.

"Oh," Lixella brought a hand to her forehead, "Right, we're still celebrating that holiday."

"Of course we are still celebrating that holiday!" screeched her aunt, "Did you think the world was taking a rain check on Christmas?"

"No," Lixella stated plainly, "I just thought it was weird to celebrate something so normal when…" she paused, wondering how to word herself.

"When, what?"

"When we're in the middle of a war," said Lixella.

"It's hardly a war," said Aunt Iris, waving her off. Her aunt had a hard time accepting that the world was split into sides. She just believed that everyone went along with everything. "Now," she held up a well polished finger, "you are welcome to wear _that_ to the party. Or, you can actually look formal! Which shall it be?"

Lixella rolled her eyes, "I'll go find something more suitable to everyone's tastes." She made her way back up the winding tower stairs. Her mind was set in a few places. First and foremost, it was trapped in Knockturn alley, watching the mysterious window and staring at the bench. Second, it was also standing by her house, watching the black wolf rush into the distance. Finally, it was stopped, quietly crouching next to the clearing, wondering why she could not walk into the open field. So many questions began running through her mind again. She tried to silence them, not wanting to bother with them all at once. She attempted to tackle them one at a time, but they seemed to flow together. Why was a wolf runnign her through a forest that she could not enter? Why was it by her window every night? Window, what was with that window above her Uncle's shop? Why was that bench so familiar?

"No!" she exclaimed, shutting her door. "No more questions," she sighed, "We are taking a break tonight." The dizzying thoughts in her head, calmed themselves. She pushed them all away, as far back as she could. She could not take one more day of this questioning, Lixella wanted answers. But, how would she get them? Especially if she was going to be off somewhere else tonight? if only there was someone she could call on to help..."Lita!" she exclaimed. A loud pop sounded behind her, and she turned to find the petite house elf, Lita, standing at attention.

"Did miss Lixella need something?" she asked in a cheery tone.

"Yes," said Lixella, "I was wondering if you could do me a _huge_ favor?"

"What?" asked Lita, "Lita loves going on adventures with Miss Lixella, are we going to visit the banshees?"

"No," said Lixella, "They're busy settling into their new surroundings, and enjoying the fact that they are all reunited!"

"Lita does love seeing old friends again" she stared down at the floor, smiling and swaying happily form side to side.

"Lita," Lixella leaned down to her, "Why are you so happy? I've never seen you this happy before."

Lita stared up at Lixella with her large eyes, almost dazed. "Lita has been visiting friends as well," she said, staring down at her smock, "Very special friends."

There could not have been a cuter sight in the whole entire world. Lixella was watching Lita, knowing that she was speaking about someone very close. It was almost like watching a schoolgirl swoon over a boy she has a crush on. Except, the school girl was only a few feet high, and had giant ears. Her small hands were wrapped around the bottom of her smock, swaying the skirt from side to side. All the while, she was humming a happy tune to herself, with her high voice. "Who is this special friend, Lita?" asked Lixella.

Lita looked up at her and blushed, "He's an elf." Lixella laughed, of course he was an elf, she was not expecting it to be anything else. "He," she paused, "He's one of Lita's very best friends. He used to be owned by the Malfoys, but he got out. Harry Potter helped him escape. He really likes Harry, he talks about him all the time. They must be very good friends." She stared off in a daze, describing this mysterious crush of hers. "He's really inspiring when he talks. It makes you feel like you could do anything, like you could make it out of anywhere. He's also really nice."

"What's his name, Lita?" Lixella asked, smiling broadly.

"Oh," Lita came out of her daze, "His name's Dobby. He works at Hogwarts now. At least, he did, before you-know-who took over. Now he's just working for himself." Her gaze fell to the floor, "Lita would like to work for herself one day. Then she could but pretty shoes, like the ones Dobby has." She stared down at her bare feet.

Lixella's heart nearly melted. Little Lita was in love with a free house elf. If it was the last thing Lixella ever did, she was going to free Lita. After all, this elf more than deserved to be free of her family. She promised herself to begin devising a plan soon, a plan that would free Lita from her aunt. "I'm sure you'll get out of here one day, Lita" she said.

Lita looked up at her, half smiling, "I hope so, Miss Lixella. Now, what did you need Lita to do?"

Lixella suddenly remembered why she summoned Lita in the first place. "I need you to follow something for me," she said, Lita stared at her questioningly. Lixella went silent, making sure that there was no one in the hallway. "I need you to watch by my window, for a black wolf. He may be passing by here tonight. If he is, I need you to follow him, but don't let him know that you are. This has to be a secret, okay? and, report back to me only. You got it?"

Lita nodded happily, "I love adventures. But, why is Lita following a wolf?" She, normally, would not dare ask the motive of her master, but Lixella was different.

"I think it might be a spy," said Lixella, not wanting to risk too much information, "Something sent to spy on our house."

"Lita will do her best to protect Cruxshade Manor!" she straightened up in salute. "Is that all, Miss Lixella?"

"Yes, thank you, Lita!" she exclaimed, saluting back, "You are dismissed!"

With another pop, Lita vanished from the room. Lixella turned back to her closet, smiling at her work. Hopefully, this would bring about some answers. She thumbed through her clothes, mindlessly. Getting dressed up was not a big favorite of hers. It was yet another reminder of how she was stuck in wizard high society. It also reminded her of her grandmother. Lixella rolled her eyes, "Ghastly woman," she muttered. Lixella's mother used to let Lixella buy her own clothing, until her grandmother found out. After that, she had to wear things that were, "Grandmama Approved." This consisted, mostly, of dresses, tights, overly shiny shoes, bras that improved her posture, and the ever lovely giant hair bows. Lixella positively hated giant hair bows. They were juvenille, and did not go with anything. She stared at the rack of clothing, not paying much attention to the fabrics whizzing by her.

"Eh," she grunted, "I'll go with, erm...this one, I guess." She grabbed one that was a fairly pretty color. It was a midnight blue dress, with small star like sequins embroidered around the bodice. The sleeves were not really sleeves, they were more of folded fabric that draped across her shoulders. At the center of the bodice was a sparkling snow flake, made of silver sparkling gems. She figured it looked Christmas enough for a holiday event, and short enough for a party. That was good enough for her. She threw some silver heels with it, and called it a day.

Lixella, having finally found something suitable, made her way back downstairs. She was halfway dreading aunt Iris' judgement. It was like having all of her clothign approved, once more. "That looks much better" said aunt Iris, upon seeing her. "Now, what about your hair?" she brought a hand to her chin, "Would you like for me to do it?"

"NO!" Lixella exclaimed, remembering the hours it took last time. Aunt Iris scowled at her outburst of refusal. "I just mean um," Lixella searched for an excuse, "I was just going to leave it down. I'm fine with it just being down."

"Too bad" said aunt Iris. Lixella winced in pain; As if she was just stabbed. Aunt Iris grabbed her wrist, and marched her upstairs, for hair and make-up. Lixella pouted all the way there, dreading the next few hours that she would be spending, breathing in hair spray, and listening to her aunt gossip.

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><p>Much better, Much better! I am so sorry that I forgot about that snippet about Lita and Dobby...that's right, she has a crush on him, adorable isn't it! But I mean, who doesn't think Dobby is the sweetest thing to ever exist in the Potterverse?<p>

Thank you for reading, you guys! Even though this chapter was technically already posted once. Thank you for sticking with my lack of organization! I should be posting two chapters tonight, since I still have the whole party to re-write about!

See you soon, Happy travels!

Reviewing the reviews:

nakuranekomegami: Your name is awesome, by the way. Just wanted to let you know that!

TheUsernameIwantedWasTAken: yeah, it's funny when mother's embarrass their children. Lord knows, my mother is always embarrassing me. She likes watching my reactions of being utterly annoyed by her momishness (is that a word?) But, anyways, Uncle Zander never puts a good shop in that spot. Thus, it is a cursed spot of business. You'll be finding out why very soon.

Raine Amorial: I would so join in on your excited jumping, if I wasn't sick :( But, sickness brings good things, like more fanfic chapters! yay!The shop is actually based off of a store near where I live. It's a neo-pagean store, and it always smells like coffee, because their stuff is amazing! Witches, making coffee...odd to think about, but so tasty!

hpgrl95: THANK YOU! I like your reviews...and I hope that they just keep getting better as well XD

FeyFaerie: Oh, you mean that black wolf? I dunno, he may be someone important...*cough* *cough* spoilers!

DizzyPotter: I love how you use my shipname in nearly every review. It makes me feel like less of a terrible nerd, thank you! You're right, the black wolf and cat are important, so don't forget about them! and the ring is actually based off of one I saw in real life. I wanted it sooooo badly, because I love evil eye charms, but it was like 25 dollars. I am sooo not that rich! *sigh* and all of my money is being saved up for a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Florida.

Thank you for the lovely reviews! If I did not get to your reply this time, I will next chapter; Which should be up in only a few minutes, once I've tweaked it a bit.


	23. Parchment 23: Untold Stories

So, here it is, once again, the big shebang!

If you've already read the first half, I'm sorry. I revised it, because I thought of a better ending.

So, just scroll down and start after Nott leaves the scene.

If you haven't read this Parchmetn yet, then have fun!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 23: Untold Stories

Later in the day, and after hours of choking on hair spray, Lixella found herself getting into her uncle's black car. The scenery rushed by them, as they made their way towards Malfoy manor. Her aunt and uncle chatted about current business. At one point, uncle Zander admitted that the new shop was getting off to a rough start. Lixella chuckled, she knew this would happen. The small bookstore that he had opened seemed out of place in Knockturn alley. Then again, the shop space was cursed. Her aunt gave a small rant about how she did not know why uncle Zander kept the deed to it. The store never amounted to anything, and it never brought in business. Uncle Zander just replied with his default, "I just have a feeling about it, Iris." And, there was no argument past that. She spent most of the trip staring out of the car window.

The black car was certainly faster than anything on the road; However, it did not help that Malfoy manor was such a long ways away. Lixella wished that her relatives would stop insisting on such means of travel. Apparition was much faster, though she did not enjoy it. Floo powder was out of the question, considering that there was no direct way into the Malfoy's house. Her aunt had wanted to travel by flying carriage, but her uncle had refused. So, instead, she spent the long car journey mulling over the events of last night.

It was twilight by the time they reached the large house. The whole scene was covered in twinkling lights and floating lights. Holly and garland were hung from the windows. Silver ivy vines ran in every direction around the pillar entrance. Blue, red, and green ornaments hung from the trees outside. The snow had been swept from the walkways, bushes, and rooftops. The only thing bathed in white, was the grass in the large gardens. It was really a lovely house. It stood with a sort of regality, but held a sense of elegance. People rushed around them, as they made their way down the long entrance. Lixella recognized a few of them: Yaxley, the Carrow twins, and even professor Snape. A knot formed in her stomach, however, when she noticed a patch of bright pink bobbing towards the entrance. Umbridge had come, dressed in one of her tacky pink outfits. Lixella felt the scarred skin on her right arm tingle. She never wished anything terrible on anyone, but she wanted Umbridge to suffer something traumatic. "Ah, good, she made it," said uncle Zander, waving to a figure near the doorway. "I thought that mom wouldn't ever want to leave France. She loves the people there far too much."

Lixella's grandmother opened her arms for a hug, which Lixella did not refuse. "How is my granddaughter?" she asked, surveying Lixella's outfit. She brought a cane to Lixella's knees, "Your posture is lacking, darling. How many times do I have to tell you to stand up straight?"

Lixella merely rolled her eyes, "Sorry, Grandmama."

"And you," she pointed her cane to uncle Zander, "Does it kill you to write to you own mother?"

"Sorry, mom," uncle Zander apologized, "Terribly busy, you know. I've opened a new store."

"oh, it isn't in that blasted cursed spot is it?" Grandmama questioned, turning to Iris.

"Of course it is, Elvira" said aunt Iris, giving Grandmamma a hug. "It is always in that spot. And, I cannot talk him out of it!"

"Oh, greater witches than you have tried, my dear." Grandmama patted aunt Iris' shoulder, as if greeting an old friend. The two of them got along very well, unlike Lixella's father. Her mother had always appreciated Grandmama. She was, of course, a very polite and well mannered young lady. But, when no other relatives were around, Lixella's mother was just like her father. She would spend her time talking about her amazing travels in life, her school days, and quidditch. Grandmama Cruxshade liked Lixella's mother because she was so good at living in high society. Grandmama believed that Lixella's mother could whip her father, William, back into shape if necessary.

The inside of the house was just as elegantly decorated. There was an echo of silver, green, blue, and red everywhere. Candles floated in the air, much like the ceiling of the Great Hall. Their light illuminated everything in the room. A large fir tree stood in the center of the drawing room, decorated with silver snowflakes and white ornaments. A white star was shining from the top of it. A bright and cheery atmosphere was evident throughout the room. People rushed from group to group, talking of the latest gossip and news. There were a great deal of people wanting to meet Lixella. Some of them claimed to have met her before, though she could not remember any of them. She was attracting quite a bit of attention. It was almost uncomfortable, having such a spotlight. "Uncle Zander," she asked, after waiving off another stranger, "Why does everyone want to talk to me?"

"Word of your banshee army spread," he whispered, "I figure they want to be in your good favor, now that they know how powerful you can be."

Lixella did not like that at all. She was not okay with having people pretend to like her. Fakers were not welcome, in her mind; But, this was high society, and she had to accept it. After all, she figured she deserved some kind of recognition, after what she'd been through. "Lixella?" a familiar voice asked. A hand grabbed her shoulder, and spun her around. Before she could breath, Lixella found herself in a bone crushing hug.

"Ack," she coughed, "Hi there, Jynx."

"I don't see ya for ovah 'alf a year," Jynx looked angry, "An' all you got is hi?"

"Sorry," Lixella shrugged, "Um..let me try again." She turned around, looking away from Jynx. Then, Lixella spun back towards Jynx, and let out a loud yelp of excitement. "Jynx!" she cried, grasping onto her best friend.

"Much bettah," Jynx said, hugging her back. The two of them made their way out of the large crowd of people. "how 'ave you been? I been worried sick!" Jynx exclaimed.

"I've been, well," Lixella stared at her best friend, "It's a long story."

"I got time, hun, trust me!"

Lixella and Jynx sat down near a window, and Lixella relayed the past few months to Jynx. It was quite a thrilling tale when she told it all. Jynx was terribly interested in hearing more about Nym. Lixella got to find out about Jynx's encounter with the red head, at the ministry. Lixella told her about the tomb, Willow, and even about Jonny being a werewolf.

"He saved ya?" Jynx asked, a little shocked.

"Yeah," Lixella nodded, staring out of the window. "I'd be wolf meat if he hadn't been there."

"Leapin' frogs," Jynx was shocked, "I nevah thought that Draco Malfoy would go about savin' anyone."

"Yeah," Lixella agreed, "but it happened. He nearly flew off the handle after he saw what Umbridge did to me."

Jynx cocked her head to one side, "What'd she do?"

Lixella lifted up her sleeve, revealing the scars that spelled, "LIAR".

"Tha' bitch!" Jynx screamed so loud that it attracted the attention of the whole room. There was a moment of silence, as everyone stared towards the two of them. Aunt Iris looked very unhappy that her niece was chatting with such a fowl mouthed young lady. Then, everyone went back to their conversations. "She did tha' to ya?" Jynx nudged her head in the direction of Umbridge. Lixella nodded. "Oh," Jynx shook a fist, "I'll kill her, I swear ta god, I'll kill her. Why did she do that?"

Lixella told her about how her father was alive, and running from Voldemort. Jynx was surprised to hear all of this. Up until now she had thought Lixella was convicted of murdering both of her parents. "Wow," muttered Jynx, "It sounds like your life has gotten pretty complicated, huh?" Lixella nodded vigorously, her eyes wide.

"Yeah," she said, staring out of the window. "It really has. So, how is Hogwarts?"

Jynx opened her mouth to answer, but was interrupted. Theodore Nott was standing by their table, smiling broadly at Lixella. "Hello, Cruxshade," he said, "Fancy a dance?"

Lixella almost laughed. She had never talked to Nott before. So, why did he suddenly want to dance with her? Before she could come up with a polite response, Jynx butted in with, "Why?"

"Why wouldn't I want to dance with her?" he said coolly.

"Nott, you've never said more than two words to me before," said Lixella.

"Well, perhaps I would like to change that," he replied.

"So, you're suddenly all interested in her?" Jynx studied him suspiciously.

"No, I would just like to have a dance with, who I consider to be, the prettiest girl at this party."

"Sorry?" Lixella said, completely taken back by his charm. She wasn't even sure that she had ever heard Nott talk before.

"I said I would like to dance with the most lovely girl in the room," he nodded, "Is that a crime?"

"Thank you," she replied, a bit defensively, "But, I'm taken."

"Doesn't mean you can't dance with someone," he shrugged, "Your boy was dancing with Astoria Greengrass, earlier. Obviously he doesn't mind."

Lixella's heart dropped a bit. She looked to Jynx, who just shrugged and shook her head.

"Just one dance, Cruxshade?" Nott extended his hand to her.

She let out a sigh of defeat, and took it. He lead her out to the dance floor, just as the orchestra began playing "Serenade" by Schubert. He was a wonderful dancer, she would give him that. Though, high society witches and wizards were expected to know how to dance well. He was also oddly charming, which greatly surprised Lixella. She had never had a full conversation with him. Nott was not a very outward person. He spent most of his time in the Slytherin common room, keeping to himself. However, on a few occasions, Lixella had caught him glancing at her during late study hours. She shrugged these moments off, though, seeing as they were usually the only two in the room.

"you are a lovely dancer," he said, spinning her outward and then pulling her back.

"I should be," she replied, "I've been waltzing since I could walk."

"I figured," he said, as he lifted her up and then back down. "I suppose your mother taught you, did she?"

"My grandmother, actually," she replied, putting her arms back around his neck.

"My grandmother taught me, as well," he replied, "after my mother died. I also hear that you are quite the piano player."

Lixella did not realize he knew so much about her. She had never told anyone that she played piano. "How did you know that?" she asked, staring up at him.

"One hears things," he waived it off, "through the grape vine." Lixella looked down, wondering what else people had been saying about her. "But, don't worry," he lifted her chin, "they couldn't say anything terrible about you. Not after all that you've been doing. I daresay you are rather sought after, nowadays."

"Nowadays?" she looked puzzled, as he spun, then lowered her. "So, are you finding me more attractive nowadays, as well, Nott?" she asked, as he lifted her back up.

"Oh," he said, pulling her uncomfortably close, "I've been attracted for a while, Cruxshade. I just never had the nerve to try at it, until now."

Lixella was unsure of how to respond. She had never really talked to Theodore Nott before. Having him admit that he admired her from afar, was a tad uncomfortable; As well as flattering. But, why had he chosen now to admit it? Part of her thought it could be her new status in the world of gossip. The other part just shrugged it off, saying that he had no ulterior motive. He spun her twice more, lifted her up, and pulled her even closer as she landed. This dance certainly meant more to him than she thought. He was watching her dark hair sway in the bright sparkling light, and admiring the way her dress hugged her curves. Then, a hand grasped onto his left shoulder.

"You mind, Nott?" said Draco, staring at him with a quiet rage.

"Not at all, Malfoy," he replied. He was equally as tense, but better at masking it. His hatred was much more silent, and well hidden. Nott thought that Malfoy was not a good match for Lixella. He much preferred the idea of being with her. Nonetheless, he had to step aside. He took Lixella's right hand, leaned down, and kissed it softly. "Thank you for the dance, Lixella." With that, and a small smirk towards Draco, he made his way back into the crowd of people.

"Interesting, isn't he?" Lixella asked, staring at Nott as he vanished into the party. Draco's head whipped around, his face twisted in confusion.

"Interesting?" he asked, a bit taken back that she seemed so dazed. Lixella just shrugged and made her way back towards Jynx. "What do you mean, Interesting?" he followed close behind her.

"Have you ever seen a wolf, Draco?" she asked, causing only more confusion for him.

"Have I...no...wait, I wasn't... You need to...what?" Lixella laughed at his sudden lack of ability to form a sentence.

"You really should think before you speak," she smirked, "If not, you just sound silly."

Lacking a good response, and knowing that he would just be outsmarted, Draco decided to not answer her anymore. The pair of them made their way back to Jynx, who was still sitting by the window; However, she was now accompanied by Pansy Parkinson. Lixella just stared at the two of them; As it was odd to see them both at the same table, not killing each other. "Parkinson, why the hell are you here?" she asked, without thinking. Jynx began laughing as Pansy acquired a look of insult on her face.

"Am I not allowed to sit, Cruxshade?" she asked, insulted and confused.

"You're certainly allowed to sit," said Lixella, "Just not anywhere near Jynx...at least, not with the world still being intact." Lixella, on impulse, began darting her head in every direction, making sure that the world was , in fact, still in one piece.

Jynx's laughter grew ever louder. "Flippin' Troll Bogies, chilll out, Lixella!" she said, clutching her stomach. "She's really not 'alf bad of a person." This comment only caused the look of confusion to move from Pansy's face, to Lixella's.

"Not half bad?" she asked, "Who are you? And what have you done with Jynx Spakerton?"

"Oh just sit down, Cruxshade" said Pansy. Lixella stared at her suspiciously. "I don't bite," Pansy replied to her expression.

Lixella sat down next to Pansy, keeping herself at a good distance. "No," she said, her eyes near slits, "But you do spit." Pansy simply scoffed, rolled her eyes, and proceeded to talk to Jynx once more.

"As I was saying, before I was so _rudely_ interrupted," Pansy snapped at Lixella.

"I did not interrupt you, Parkinson," said Lixella, "I just walked up to the table."

"you walked up, and began questioning my existence," Pansy cocked her head to one side, "With quite the tone of shock and terror. Do I scare you, Cruxshade?"

"No," Lixella said, Pansy turned back to Jynx, "Monkies scare me." She smirked, "Great big, hairy monkies! That spit on people."

"Dear Salazar, I am not an ape!" exclaimed Pansy

"You're right," Lixella said apologetically, allowing Pansy to turn back towards Jynx. "You're a screeching spider monkey," she said under her breath.

The two of them locked eyes, glaring at one another. "Why are you so foul, Cruxshade?" asked Pansy

"Why are you so pathetic, Parkinson?" asked Lixella

"This," Draco pointed between the two of them, "This is entertainment!"

"Top quality," nodded Jynx.

"Though I must say," Draco leaned back in his chair, "I do miss having their quarrels be over me."

"OVER YOU?" Lixella and Pansy screamed in unison, their heads darting to Draco.

"Of course it was over me," he replied all too cooly, "what else would you two have to fight over?"

"Oh, I dunno," Pansy's eyes shifted to Lixella, "Maybe the fact that she's snarky, rude, improper, and simply _has_ to comment on _everything_!"

"I'm rude," exclimed Lixella, "As if you _spitting_ on me wasn't rude? Or, perhaps the time that you just _assumed_ I had tried to kill Draco? Or, maybe all of the times that you called me_ scum_, or a filthy blood _traitor_?"

"Well, you spent all last year telling everyone I was an ape!" screeched Pansy

"You spent all last year just being as unpleasant as you could be." Lixella crossed her arms, "I had hardly ever said two words to you, Parkinson...and you spit on me? Why?"

"Because..." Pansy paused, glancing over to Draco. "Well, why were you so unpleasant to me, Cruxshade?"

Lixella opened her mouth to speak, but quickly shut it upon realizing her choice of words. Instead, she sat back in her chair, glanced over to Draco, and responded with, "Because..."

Jynx, who was nearly blue in the face form suppressed laughter, fell out of her chair. She began clutching her stomach from the forceful laughter escaping her lungs. She was beaming at the sound of this bickering. Watching Lixella and Pansy realize that their fighting was, in fact, over Draco, was beyond entertaining. She got up and clapped Draco on the back, so hard that it almost knocked the wind out of him. "You sir," she said, wiping off tears of joy, "You are really somethin'," she laughed. "I mean, bein' able ta get this!" she motioned to Lixella and Pansy, "Tha' takes some real skill. Just, how do you do it?"

"Talent, I guess" he replied, "I'm just that irresistable."

Lixella and Pansy scoffed in unison at this comment; While Jynx was nearly on the floor again with laughter. "Do most girls fight over you like this?" asked Jynx.

"All the time," he said, leaning back once more.

"Please, Draco" scolded Pansy, "Not _every_ girl you meet is in love with you."

"Most of them are," he said with a cheeky grin.

"An ego the size of Jupiter," said Lixella, shaking her head.

"Exactly," nodded Pansy, "not to mention his head is just full of hot air."

Lixella laughed, "I bet it's pretty hollow in there."

Pansy laughed as well, "Probably because he spends most of his time doing his hair."

"I do not spend hours doing my hair," snapped Draco.

"Please, you check it nearly every time a reflective surface is around," taunted Lixella.

"Oh he so does," exclaimed Pansy, "A mirror, a tabletop, sometimes even in a spoon!"

"I've seen that," Lixella nodded, "Oh my god, I thought I was hallucinating. He really did check his hair in a spoon!"

"You don't even know!" Pansy turned to her excitedly, "This one time, in third year, he spent two hours one morning trying to get it to be the _right_ kind of messy. He ended up being late to transfiguration, and McGonnagal gave him detention for a week."

"Really?" Lixella was clutching to her sides form laughter, "Oh, that is _so_ him!"

"Oh, I could tell you stories!" exclaimed Pansy, throwing her hands in the air.

"No, you couldn't," Draco shook his head, becoming frightened of Pansy's vast knowledge of his embarrassing quirks.

"He also has this really weird obsession with green apples," said Pansy, as if she couldn't hear him.

"I've noticed that," said Lixella, "Why is it just the green ones?"

"Hell if I know," said Pansy, "I think he just has a weird liking for the color green."

"I do not!" exclaimed Draco.

Jynx was, once again, on the floor, shrieking to the high heavens with laughter. This was the most entertaining party she had ever been to.

"Oh, and the way he always stands a few feet farther from Crabbe than he does Goyle, priceless," joked Pansy.

"Why is that?" asked Lixella.

"You don't know?" Lixella shook her head, "Oh dear Salazar, I forgot, you weren't here fourth year." Draco's eyes grew wide with shock, she couldn't be talking about? "Well, you see, in our fourth year, we had this teacher named professor Moody." No, he would not allow Pansy to tell Lixella that story. It was, by far, the most embarrassing thing that had ever happened to him. His grip around the table edge tightened, "That's enough, Pansy," he said.

But, Pansy kept on, "He was positively insane, and one time he punished Draco by turning him into a ferrett and..."

"ENOUGH!" shrieked Draco, so loud that it caused a hush to fall over the rest of the room. Lixella and Pansy suddenly snapped out of their gossiping; As if reality had just come crashing back around them. "I am _never _putting you two in a room together," he said, huffing in fear, "_ever_ again!"

"You hear that, Parkinson," said Lixella, "We know too much. I think he's afraid of it."

"Bless him," smirked Pansy, "I daresay, Cruxshade, with our powers combined, we could be quite a terrible embarrassment for him."

"I daresay we could, Parkinson," smirked Lixella, "But, that would be just evil."

"Positively evil," Pansy nodded, her gaze shifted out towards the crowd, "Oh, look there's Daphne. I simply must go tell her about all of this. See you all later." She paused and turned to Draco, "Don't blush too much form embarrassment, Draco. With your complexion, you'll turn as red as those apples that you dub inferior."

Lixella joined in with Jynx's loud laughter. Pansy simply turned on her heel, striding across the dance floor, in search of her best friend. This was not good, in Draco's mind. Pansy knew quite a bit about him, she even knew things that he was quite hesitant to tell Lixella. This could very well ruin his current reputation. Having Pansy strutting around with all of his secrets, only meant trouble. Usually, just from sheer obsession with him, she would keep those secrets quiet; Thinking that she was more special than the others. But, now he didn't have that to fall back on. Also, Pansy was not exactly the best at keeping gossip to herself. She was probably over there with Daphne Greengrass, right now, relaying the whole terrible conversation. Who knows who else she would tell? Yes, this certainly meant trouble for him.

"I forgot about you being a ferret in Crabbe's pants!" exclaimed Jynx loudly, wiping tears from her eyes.

"...in," Lixella's mouth hung open, "in Crabbe's pants?" She turned to Draco with an almost devilish smile. "So, Draco," she said, "What color are Crabbe's underwear?"

"I_...__hate_...you...both," he said through gritted teeth.

The rest of the party was spent several ways; Picking fun at Draco, discussing everyone's sudden wanting to meet Lixella, and chatting with various schoolmates that passed by. It was a very lovely evening, aside from the immense mental scarring for Draco. The atmosphere was cheery, and they could all just enjoy one another's company. For the first time, in a long time, Lixella actually felt like Christmas was on it's way. She wasn't having to lead the banshees. The ministry wasn't questioning her about her father. Not even aunt Iris hadn't given her trouble all evening, verbally at least. For once, Lixella could just enjoy a Christmas party.

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><p>Phew! Loooooooong chapter, I know. There's a lot of dialogue! But, I'm glad that you guys finally got to see Lixella and Pansy as friends. They are so devilishly funny. I totally ship Drapple, by the way, if you couldn't tell. There will be <em>very<em> many jokes of that in the future!

Thank you for reading!

Reviewing the reviews:

TheUsernameIWantedwasTaken: Oh, Theodore Nott, quite an interesting character right there. He should be popping in and out of this story from now on. Probably causing quite a bit of mischief. And, thank you! I like very descriptive stories, so I try to make my writing descriptive. It makes it so much easier to picture the events.

FeyFaerie: I have revised the chapter because I read your review. Then, after re-reading it (not only did I realize how much I'd left out) I also realized that she _was_ being a drama queen. And, if there's one thing I can't stand, it's drama queen main characters, this is not Twilight! So, hopefully the past two chapters have made up for that ^_^ Thanks for the review! This one was much more fun to write anyways!

Natures Nightmare: You have theories? I want to hear them...I love theories! I want to know if I'm getting my plot twists down well! But, spoilers are spoilers, I can't be giving too much away :)

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: I love when you review. It is short, sweet, and simple! Plus I'm just happy that you're reviewing at all XD

Thank you for the reviews, I hope to hear from you guys soon ^_^

Happy Travels!


	24. Parchment 24: The Nightmare Before Xmas

Exams will be the death of me you guys

Here's a very special installment to the story

have you realized that this is chapter 24? Golly this is long!

Thanks for reading...Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 24: The Nightmare Before Christmas

The smell of birch trees filled Cruxshade manor, along with the warm aroma of food. White wax candles riddled the walls and tables of the manor. They glowed as their flames created dim glints of light. Wreaths of holly and ivy hung from the stair posts, and windows. Snow was covering the ground outside, bathing the world in the innocent white blanket of winter. It was Christmas Eve. Tonight, children would be tucked into their beds, awaiting the glorious sights of Christmas morning. Surely, no one could be unhappy right now? Surely, there was nothing to fear, or to worry about? Surely, everyone was happy?

Surely, Lixella Cruxshade wasn't spending Christmas eve thinking about war? But, then again, it was hard to think of much of anything else at the moment. She stared out of the window, thinking about all of the people who were on the run. They were spending Christmas in hiding. How must they feel? Unable to be with their loved ones, on the most lovely holiday of the whole year. They must feel like outsiders. They would be so isolated in their tents. What if they were attacked? Surely, those on the run could protect themselves? They must have some kind of protection around their campgrounds.

Then, it hit her, and she shot upright on the couch. The clearing, it must be occupied by runaways. They must have had some spell on it, to repel people from it. Lixella was surprised; She had read about those spells, they were pretty advanced.

She laid back down, her feet propped against the arm rest. "Hermione would be clever enough for that," she nodded, remembering her bushy haired friend form last year. "That girl had brains to boot!" she exclaimed. A thought crossed her mind. The sound of a voice, muffled by the thick wall of protection in the forest. The voice that had said, "Harry", Or had it said that? Lixella did not hear it very clearly. However, she was fairly sure that it sounded like Harry's name. Could Harry Potter be hiding only a few miles from her house? Could he really be dwelling right next to death eaters?

"They must be starving" she said, smelling the aroma of the Christmas eve feast. Her family had plenty of food for Christmas. There was more than enough for them, and others. Perhaps she could slip away a bit of food, and take it out to the clearing. If she did that, then she could certainly find out whether there were people out there. They couldn't turn down food.

Lixella practically hopped off of the couch. She darted out of the parlor room; Through the drawing room; Out into the front foyer, into the prep kitchen; And, finally, down a flight of stairs. She arrived in the basement, which was entirely devoted to the kitchen. It always amazed Lixella, just how much space was needed to prepare food. The area was large and wide, and built completely of stone. There were several ovens, some electrical, others brick. A whole slew of tables lined the room, and were covered in plates of food. House elves ran around the room, carrying trays that were comically larger than them. They nodded or waived to Lixella as she made her way around the room. She was stopped, suddenly, by a rather low and scratchy voice. "What ar' ya doin' 'ere ma'am?" Lixella turned to find Ziz, the head chef of the house elves. He was holding a ladle, that was dripping some kind of golden brown froth. His apron was stained with various unidentifiable colors.

"I just," Lixella paused, she couldn't very well tell him that she was stealing food. "I was just hungry," she said as innocently as possible. Ziz crossed his arms, eyeing her up and down. He tilted his head forward, giving her a puzzled expression.

"Come on now, Lixella," he said, "We bot' know dat's not why yow'r 'ere."

Lixella sighed, Ziz had known her since she was a child. He had worked in her house for her father and mother, until they died. After that he came to Cruxshade manor with Lixella. "Okay," she lowered her voice, "Can you do me a big favor, Ziz?" she asked. He smiled broadly, revealing his crooked teeth.

"Iffin dere's one ting I'm gewd at, Lixella," he nodded, "it be keep'n yur secrets frum yur parents. Yoo know dat!"

Thank goodness she had a house elf like Ziz. He had been there through her whole childhood. Every now and then Lixella would try to escape her grandmother by running to the kitchen. While down there, she would watch Ziz cook. He would tell her about his friends and family, and what it was like being a house elf. Sometimes her Grandmother would start looking for her, and Ziz would hide her in the pantry, behind the bags of potatoes. He could be trusted with really anything. Lixella would rant about how much she disliked her Grandmother to him. He was a friend, when she was away from school; And, he never told any of her secrets to anyone.

"I need food, but not for me," she said in hushed tones, "I want to bring it to some friends who need it. They're," she peered around for eavesdroppers, "They're hiding. They're probably starving, and it's Christmas eve. No one should starve on Christmas Eve."

"I got jus' tha t'ing." he nodded, his hands on his hips.

Ziz lead her over to a rather small pantry. It was stocked with what seemed like day old bread. There were many other day old things, as well. It seemed to be a very unkempt pantry. Usually the spaces in Cruxshade manor were spotless, since aunt Iris ran the place. But, this room seemed a bit neglected. "Dis is tha house elf pantry," he said, "We be puttin' the food dat nobody else be wantin' in 'ere." He pulled a small ladder from behind a shelf, and propped it against the wall.

"I can't take food from you guys," said Lixella, "Merlin knows, you don't get fed enough."

"It be okay, Lixella," he laughed, "It's Christmas eve. Afta' tonight, we're a gonna have a whole slew o' food fer dis place!"

Ziz put together a basket of bread, cheese, fruit, and a jug of milk. It was a rather good amount of food, especially for someone on the run. Lixella also took some chocolate and salted ham from one of the other pantries. After all, what was Christmas without chocolate?

She made her way out of the house. She tried to be as elusive as possible. It was hard since the sun was still up. She wasn't used to trying to hide in broad daylight. Nighttime was when she would usually sneak out of anywhere. The snow crunched beneath her thick leather boots. She was sure that there were tracks behind her, but what could honestly happen? Who would really follow her tracks? Her relatives knew that she was an adventurous girl. Surely, they wouldn't worry for her safety. Plus it wasn't like Voldemort was constantly at their house.

She made her way through the thick forest, trying to remember the direction in which she traveled only 2 nights prior. Eventually, she found the clearing. It still had that feeling, the feeing that made her want to turn back and walk home. She placed the basket on the top of the hillside, and sat down. She figured that she would just wait outside of the range of the charms. "Hello?" she called out, her voice echoed softly through the trees. "Is there someone in this clearing?" she asked. No response came, there was just open forest. Lixella huffed, and rested her head on her fist. How could she get them to come out of their hiding space? Surely there was a way to get them to trust her. She tried to think of something, but nothing came to her. She stood up and began walking around the edge of the clearing. There was a lovely little river that ran through it. It trickled across the pebbles and dirty ground of the forest floor; Making babbling noises as it plopped and slopped over the stone.

Suddenly, Lixella grabbed her face in pain, it felt like she had just bumped into a tree. She wiped the pain from her eyes, unable to see much. Before she could regain her composure she heard someone yell, "_expelliarmus!_" This didn't do much, since she did not have her wand out. However, she did end up falling to the ground, on her backside. Lixella gasped for breath, shocked by the sudden defense. She looked up to find Harry, standing with his wand drawn. He looked very unhappy to see her, which was a lot to say since she had never done anything terrible to him. He stared intensely at her, as if she was a rabbid wolf. "If you go now," he started, "I won't kill you!"

Lixella chuckled, "Please Harry," she said, getting up, "You couldn't kill me."

"Don't get snarky with me, Cruxshade," he said, wand drawn, "I will not hesitate to hurt you!"

"That's a bit dark for you, Harry…" she paused, "Wait, since when do you call me Cruxshade?"

"Since you became a ruddy Death Eater," Lixella's jaw dropped, How did he know? "Now get out!" he yelled.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Harry," she crossed her arms, "I just wanted to…"

"To drag me to off to the death eaters?" he interjected

"No," she said darkly, "Is that _really_ who you think I am, Harry?"

"I don't know what to think of you," he spat, "Frankly, I think you're an awful traitor. Turning to _him_. Why'd you do it, Lixella? You didn't seem like the death eater type."

"It wasn't my decision, Harry," she said, crossing her arms.

"It's never anyone's _decision_ is it?" he said, rolling his eyes. "What is it with you people? You're so afraid of dying that you're willing to spend eternity doing someone else's dirty work. You would rather roll over, like a coward, and join the losers; Just because someone threatens, or bullies you. It's pathetic," he eyed her up and down, shaking his head.

"Oh yes, Harry, take pitty on me," she said venomously, "Because we all aren't as _high_ and _mighty_ as you are. I'm sorry that I choose a lifetime of terrible acts, just so that I can stay on this earth, with the people I care about. I'm so sorry I can't have your level of _amazingly_ noble chivalry. I'm sorry that I don't just choose death. I'm _so_ _sorry_ that I can't be the conventional hero, like you…I'm so sorry I can't be quite as _chosen_."

He let out a bored laugh, rolling his eyes. "So, how much time have you been spending with Malfoy?" he asked, cocking his head to one side. "You sound almost_ just_ like him," he nodded, "You two becoming the new '_it_' couple? Heads of the death eaters in training?"

Lixella let out a forceful exhale of anger. "Don't act like you get it, Harry," she said, "Don't act like you understand _any_ part of me and Draco's relationship."

"Sorry, Lixella," he said, "but I can't just shrug off you and him. The two of you plotting to kill Dumbledore." Lixella opened her mouth, "No! _Do not_ try to defend yourself. You know that you did, Lixella. I know that you did. Don't lie-"

"We didn't actually kill him, Harry," she said defensively, "Neither of us actually killed the man."

"But, you took part in it," nodded Harry, "You gonna tell me that you were put under the imperius curse, Lixella? Did Voldemort force you, too?"

"Define forced, Harry," she was becoming annoyed of him.

"I bet he forced both of you into it, didn't he?" he said sarcastically, "Because you both are _so_ the _victims_ in all of this. Of course, neither of you signed up for the job. Yeah, I'm sure you both were just so _distraught_ by all of it."

"Shut up, Harry…"

"What part was it, Lixella? At what point did you realize that what you were doing was _wrong_?" he continued, speaking faster, "Was it before or after you fell for that horrible loser boyfriend of yours?"

"Shut…up…Harry" she said, through gritted teeth.

"I bet he's just doing terribly too, hmm?" he asked, his speech quickening with rage. "I'm sure he's just sitting up in that big house of his, having just an awful time being Voldemort's little henchman. Who am I kidding, he's probably having the time of his life killing muggles and mud-bloods, with you._ Right_?"

"Shut up, Harry, or I swear to god, I'll…"

"You'll what, Lixella," he spat, "You'll do me in? I'm sure he'll be right happy with that one! Then you can go back to being a death eater. I'm sure your daddy would be very proud if you…" He stopped talking, for Lixella's wand was pressed against his throat.

"Don't…you…_dare_…bring…my…father…into this!" she spat, pressing the wand almost forcefully into this vocal chords. "You don't know him, you don't know one single thing about him, Harry."

"You wouldn't hurt me," Harry said, almost challenging her, "you wouldn't hurt anyo..."

Lixella lashed her wand into at nearby tree branch. The crook of it exploded, shattering wood across the snowy ground. The tree branch crashed to the ground, causing leaves to puff up from the cloud of powdery snow. She then brought her wand back to his throat. "Don't test me" she said, staring at him with intensity, "Potter."

They stood there staring at each other. The woods were quiet and still. It would have been a very peaceful and relaxing environment, had they not been so hostile. Lixella could not believe that Harry was saying any of this. She thought he was a different person. It made her blood boil, the way he saw things in black and white.

"_Lixella?_" a very distant voice called out.

She turned her head around, trying to find the voice. Who could be calling her? There was no one out there that she knew, other than Harry. It certainly wasn't anyone that she would want to find her out here. Her head whipped back around, until her eyes met Harry's once more. He stared at her with intense hatred, it almost scared Lixella. His eyes darted to the clearing. There must be someone else in there with him. "_Lixella?_" the voice called again, closer this time. She stuffed her wand into her side pocket, and shoved him back. "Go…" she said, pushing him towards the clearing, "You need to get out of here, Harry. My house is only a few miles away, you aren't safe."

He couldn't believe this, she was shoving him away. She was actually telling him to run away from her. She wasn't dragging him to Voldemort.

"I'll hold whoever that is off, but I can only do that for so long." she said, still dragging him forward, "Just stay in your protective bubble or whatever, until I can get them far enough away. Then go-anywhere-just get the hell out of this forest."

She shoved him forward and ran to the other side of the clearing. Harry tripped, and fell through the protective shield. Luckily, no one had seen the two of them. He was invisible now, to the outside world. Hermione got up from being on look out, and walked over to him. Her face was twisted into a puzzled expression. "Are you alright?" she asked, helping him up form the ground. He leaned down to get the invisibility cloak. As he stood back up, he noticed Lixella standing by a nearby tree, next to Malfoy.

He was hesitant to move at first. Malfoy was the last person he wanted to run into out here. If Malfoy found out that he was standing only a few feet away; He would be captured and taken to Voldemort for sure. But, he really wanted to know if Lixella was going to actually shoo Malfoy away. Or was she just saying that to get Harry to trust her? "Can you hear what they're saying?" he asked, standing up.

"No," Hermione let out a small shriek. She had just noticed the two people standing by the trees. "Do you think they can see us?" she asked in a near whisper.

Harry did not respond, he was creeping to the edge of the protective cave. He had to know what the two of them were saying. Surely they were plotting how best to get him to Voldemort. He could make out a bit of the conversation; Though, it was muffled and sounded as though it was ten yard away, rather than a few feet.

"So, you followed footprints, not knowing if they were actually mine?" she asked

"Please, I knew they were yours," he responded, "You keep avoiding the question. Why are you out here?"

"I," she paused, "I just needed to-get away. My relatives are going positively insane what with the holidays, and well...my aunt is just picking at me for every little thing. It's just frustrating. Sometimes I think she's positively bonkers, kind of like your aunt-"

Then, Harry saw something that caused his heart to skip a beat. He shook his head, and almost pinched his cheeks to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Malfoy, for a split second, smiled. Now, this wasn't the first time Harry had seen him smile. However, when Malfoy smiled, it was usually a cheeky grin. Never had he seen the boy genuinely smile at something, or someone. But that smile, which he was still in disbelief about, was a real genuine smile of happiness. Then, as if it couldn't get any stranger, Malfoy laughed. It wasn't a long laugh, more of a short chuckle. Nonetheless, it looked completely different, and almost wrong. It wasn't his usual snarky, taunting laugh. It looked like a normal person laughing. Harry was thoroughly confused.

"I highly doubt that your aunt is as crazy as mine," said Draco.

"Well," said Lixella, "My aunt isn't crazy in love with, _him_. Nor does she get off by causing other creatures dire pain."

Harry watched as, once again, Malfoy did that strange smile. The look didn't fit him at all. It was completely out of his character. It was almost scary, seeing the blond boy happy. At least, it was strange to see him happy at something other than being dreadful to Harry and his friends. He watched as Lixella took a step forward, trying to hint that she was leaving.

"We should go," she said to Draco, "It's freezing and I forgot my jacket."

No, it wasn't happening. This wasn't real, it couldn't happen. Harry looked over to Hermione, who had an equal expression of shock; And also a bit of terror. He stared, dumbstruck, as Malfoy took off his jacket, and wrapped it around Lixella's shoulders.

"Did he jus…" Hermione said, breathlessly. Harry simply nodded, still staring at the couple, standing beyond the protective shield.

Lixella let out a chuckle, and tried to suppress her blushing. She was not sure if Harry was watching this, but she did not want him seeing her blush. She pulled her arms through the sleeves, and buttoned it up.

"That looks a lot better on you," he said, "Turn around."

"I am not modeling your jacket for yo…"

"Just do it," he interjected.

Lixella held her arms out, and turned around with a monotonous attitude. She stopped, after completing a full circle, crossed her arms and huffed at him.

"Yep," he eyed her up and down, "Definitely better on you."

"Are you quite done checking me out?"

"Nope," he shook his head, "Not yet, just stand there."

Lixella brought her hands to her hips. She let out a long overdrawn sigh, and rolled her eyes at him. He was just staring at her in his jacket, and enjoying the sight far more than he should. It really did hug her curves well; However, the sleeves were a bit too long. But, that just gave it the cute "girlfriend in her boyfriend's big t-shirt" look.

"We should really go, Draco," Lixella tried to keep her eyes from shifting over to the clearing. "Everyone is probably really worried about us."

Harry was quite relieved to hear Lixella say that. She really did want to keep him away from Voldemort. Perhaps she wasn't as terrible of a traitor as he thought she was? Maybe she didn't, in fact, have a say in becoming a death eater? It boggled his mind for a second, as he considered who else might be unhappy with being on Voldemort's side. His eyes shifted to Malfoy.

"Eh," Draco stared back at the forest path, "I don't really want to go back just yet."

"But, everyone will be worried," said Lixella, "Don't you want to get back to your family?"

"Er," he hesitated, "Not-really." He looked over to her, "You aren't the only one with overbearing parents," he said under his breath. He sat down, Lixella reluctantly followed. She wanted to get out of here, more than anything, but he did not seem to want to move.

"They aren't," Hermione groaned, "We need to get out of here, Harry," she shook his arm. Harry, however, was too distracted.

"No," he said, taking a seat, "Let's stay." He turned to find Hermione glaring with a stern expression. "Honestly, Hermione," he said, "What could happen, It's Malfoy. We'll be out of here before he can blink."

There was quite an interesting story unfolding here. He was about to see a very different side of Malfoy. Hermione simply groaned and sat down as well. There was no way to convince Harry out of this. Plus, some small part of her wanted to hear this conversation.

The four of them sat, almost parallel from one another. However, one group was completely oblivious of the other groups visibility; As they were hidden by a thin layer of magic. It was strange, sitting so close to the enemy, watching them talk like sensible people.

Harry sat there, listening to Malfoy and Lixella talk about their families. It was a very interesting thing, watching the two of them talk. They would discuss the parallels in their lives. How their aunts were crazy in different ways. They were both raised with this extreme expectation, that they would just live up to without really trying. Lixella mentioned how she was trained in dueling from the age of 4. Malfoy mentioned about how he was technically already in wizarding school by age 6.

"My father insisted that I needed strict professionals to teach me," said Draco. "I used to have one teacher, I think he was supposed to tutor me in potions. He was awful. If I got anything wrong, he had this ruler that he would use."

"A ruler?" asked Lixella, "Interesting, my dad didn't have a ruler. If I got something wrong while dueling him, he didn't hold back. There were...several times, where he went too far. But, needless to say, I am rather good at dueling now. I suppose that's also why you're so good at potions."

"Part of it," he nodded.

Harry sat in aw, listening to these two. He had always thought his life at privet drive was awful. What with the Dursleys treating him like the scum of the Earth. For so long, he was mad at Malfoy for being such a spoiled brat. But, there were clearly horrible things in his past as well. Having parents that insist that you act only one way, was almost alien to him. Ron and Hermione were both from families with very accepting parents. Harry had only ever known people with families that loved and accepted each other. But this, this was just awful. To him, it sounded like Lixella and Malfoy had spent their entire lives trying to be something they weren't. The worst part was that they couldn't get out of it, or run away from it.

"Harry," he turned to find Hermione, "I've um-I've packed up the tent." He looked behind her, and saw that the tent was gone. It was stuffed away in Hermione's beaded bag. "We should really get…" Hermione was interrupted by two things. The first was the a loud crack. The second was the shriek of a small house elf.

Harry could no longer hear what was going on. The muffliato charm had become too thick. He could, however, still make out the people on the other side. There was a small house elf, pacing frantically in front of Lixella. She was very petite, with large orb-like eyes. She reminded Harry of Dobby, with the way she was so animated. Suddenly, Lixella shot up from the ground, looking extremely frazzled. Harry couldn't make out much through the protective wall, but he did catch a few words, "…it's my father?"

"Harry, let's go," Hermione grabbed his arm, and with a loud pop they had apparated away. Leaving the woods by Cruxshade manor, and Lixella in shock.

* * *

><p>What, her father? What about her father?<p>

Don't worry readers, we'll get there very soon. You guys are in for a treat! Christmas is a very special day for Lixella!

Thank you for reading, I'll post more soon ^_^

Happy travels!

Reviewing the reviews:

Dizzipenn: Yep, Theo out of nowhere! he will be a reoccuring theme, and he will be popping out of nowhere from now on...just to mess a few things up, and be annoying.

FeyFaerie: Good, i'm glad you like it! I'm very glad that I revised it, because I like it more too ^_^ And yes...Pixy...you are AWESOME! I love ship names too much, god I am such a dork!

DizzyPotter: I AM SO JEALOUS OF THE PEOPLE IN LONDON WHO GE TO GO TO THE SET TOUR! so jealous! and yes, Dita, that is too ADORABLE! I love when youguys come up with ship names...it makes me too happy! I so cried too when Dobby dies...and when hedwig dies, but no one else. Dumbledore was like, eh, saw it comin' and yes, Pansy, Lixella, Jynx, and Nym would be such a kick ass team! They would just overthrow all the governments! Also, Just so you know...Drapple does mean Draco x Apple...this is a legit ship! It's that green apple that he seems to have in EVERY movie! I ship them so hard XD look it up on youtube sometime, there are some funny videos.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Thank you...I try to keep it adorable at times! Theodore is going to be so much fun to write more of, he is such a terrible joker in my mind.

RaineAmorial: They could so rule the world. And they would be darndedly good at it too!Pansy is only going to get funnier, now that she's tolerable!

thank you for the reviews you guys! I hope to hear form you again soon!


	25. Parchment 25: A very Unmerry Christmas

Without further ado, Chapter 25!

haha, get it, 25 because it's during Christmas? I'm so funny, in my head!

Just so you guys know, this is a really terrible Christmas, so brace yourself!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 25: A Very Un-merry Christmas

Her head was spinning, the ground had flown out from beneath her feet. She did not know where she was. She paced, quickly, trying to regain consciousness. Her feet could move fine, but her mind would not stop. He wasn't here? Not now? How could he be? A wolf? How was he a wolf?

"What happened Lita?" she asked, involuntarily.

"Lita was waiting for the wolf, like Miss Lixella asked," said Lita, "And, he showed up, exactly where Miss Lixella said he would. He sat in front of the house for a good long time. Lita snuck outside to get a better look, and the black wolf ran off. So, I ran after him…"

"Then?" asked Lixella, trying to steady her breathing.

"Wait, what wolf? Who are you talking about?" asked Draco. He was looking very puzzled by the sudden outburst from Lixella.

"Shh," snapped Lixella, Draco just rolled his eyes and listened.

"He walked for a very long time, Miss Lixella. Lita wasn't sure where she was anymore. Lita was doubting that this was the right wolf. Then, he started walking on two legs."

"What?" Lixella and Draco exclaimed in unison.

"Mm Hm," nodded Lita, "Two legs! Then, he started twitching a lot. It scared Lita at first. She thought he might be a werewolf. But, he wasn't…he turned into Master William! He's alive!"

Lixella slumped onto the ground. Her legs would not move. She shook her head, cradling her face in her hands. "Dammit, Dad," she scolded under her breath.

"Yo-your father is an animagus?" asked Draco, trying to piece the story together.

"I guess so," breathed Lixella, "I've never seen him do that before though."

"Miss Lixella…" muttered Lita

"Hold on," said Draco, "So, your father, turned into a wolf. He's been on the run from the death eaters, and hiding in a forest right next to your house; As a wolf?"

"I guess so," Lixella repeated.

"Miss Lixella…" muttered Lita.

"He's been hiding, right next to your house, this entire time?" asked Draco, still in disbelief, "and no one, not even the ministry, has been able to find him…right next to your house?"

"yeah…" said Lixella, waiving him off.

"Miss Lixella, Lita wasn't…"muttered Lita

"So, what daft idiots are unable to find a man right next to his own family home?" Draco nearly shouted, "No wonder they can't find Potter, they must have complete morons on this job!"

"Well, actually," Lixella started

"Actually what?" asked Draco

"Miss Lixella, I really need to tell you…"

"Harry was here too," said Lixella.

"The…You let him…He was right…_what_?" shouted Draco, "He was _here_?"

"Miss Lixella, I really need you to…" said Lita, a little louder.

"He was here, in this forest, camping out," said Lixella, "I saw him, but he's probably gone by now."

"You let him _go_?" Draco sounded a lot angrier than Lixella had expected.

"Of course I let him go," said Lixella, "What did you expect me to do? Drag him off to Voldemort."

"No…Well, yes…You just," Draco let out a long exasperated sigh, "He's going to kill you for this! You do realize that, don't you?"

"He doesn't know that it happened," said Lixella.

"He knows _everything_, Lixella!" shouted Draco, "_Everything_!"

"No he does…"

"Miss Lixella!" shouted Lita. Draco and Lixella snapped back to reality, and turned their attention to Lita. "Lita has something very important to say!" shouted Lita. It was strange seeing her shout, she looked too small for it. Lixella simply nodded, motioning for her to keep speaking. "Lita wasn't finished," said the small elf, "When Lita found out it was Master William, she didn't want to leave. So, Lita stayed in the spot in the forest for the night. But, by morning, when Master William woke up, there were…" her mouth almost zipped itself shut.

"Were what, Lita?" said Lixella, "Tell me, who was there?"

But, she couldn't, try as she did, Lita could not open her mouth. She tugged at her lips, trying to force them open. "Lita, I order you to tell me who was there?" demanded Lixella. Lita's mouth opened, "There were sna," but she suddenly disaparated.

"wha…what did she mean Sna?" Lixella rushed forward. Occupying the space where Lita just stood. Trying desperately for a sign as to where she had gone.

"Snatchers," said Draco, "She meant that there were snatchers, Lixella."

The word took a second to register. She knew exactly what it meant; But, she didn't want to accept that it was true. Her dad had been found, and was probably being killed at that moment.

"Maybe he got away!" exclaimed Lixella, trying to deny it.

"Lixella, I highly doubt tha…"

"No," Lixella shook her head, "I mean, they aren't that smart are they? Snatchers. They can't be, if they've been looking for him _this_ long. He can't be dead…he just," she sighed heavily, "He can't."

"Lixella…"

"No!" she shouted, "I can't believe it, and I won't believe it!" Crying wasn't something Lixella did often, but she couldn't hold back the tears. "I can't go to his funeral again, Draco," she said, almost inaudibly, "It just, It can't happen…Voldemort can't get to him."

* * *

><p>But, Voldemort had gotten to him. Lixella's heart raced, the sound of a distant clock ticking was setting her teeth on edge. On the outside, however, her face was completely blank. Her expression was completely unreadable, as she sat, once again, at the long table in Malfoy manor. She had to hide any evidence of fear. If there was one thing her mother had taught her well, it was how to mask any kind of emotion. Showing fear wasn't something that her family was particularly good at. Cruxshade's took great pride in being able to laugh in the face of danger. However, she was finding it hard to cover up anything, as she watched Voldemort pace the room.<p>

"A very merry Christmas to you all," he said, in his slithery voice. Had he not been the most feared wizard of all time, Lixella would have punched him for that statement.

As if on que, Bellatrix piped in with, "A very merry Christmas to you as well, My Lord." Thus, causing Lixella to cringe and roll her eyes at Bellatrix the fan girl. "Why have you chosen Christmas day to grace us with a visit, My lord?" asked Bellatrix, "Not that we aren't honored by your presence." Lixella was sure that she could feel herself about to vomit, from lack of fan-girl-free air. Had this been any other situation, Lixella would be laughing at the twisted version of a doe-eyed school girl, that was sitting only a few chairs down from her.

"An excellent question, Bellatrix," said Voldemort. Lixella cringed, once more, as Bellatrix let out a squeak of delight, and sat up in her chair. "Being that it is Christmas, I felt in a very giving mood," said Voldemort. Lixella shut her mouth tight, trying desperately to suppress laughter. The though of Voldemort being giving, was like thinking of a Hungarian horntail as being cuddly. Her humor, however, quickly vanished as Voldemort's eyes shifted to her seat. "So, I was trying to think of who I can reward for their actions," he said, his eyes settling right on her. Lixella steadied her breathing as the whole table shifted their attention to her chair. To say the situation was nerve wracking, was an understatement. "Miss Cruxshade," he said, Lixella's attention involuntarily shifted in his direction.

"Yes, My Lord," she said without hesitation. She wondered, for a second, if her lack of fear annoyed him.

"Since you presented me with such a fine army, the other day," he began, "I thought that I should return the favor." He turned to the back of the room, where Wormtail was standing in a corner. "Do invite our guest in, Wormtail," said Voldemort. Wormtail left the room, and returned hardly a second later, with a leash around one hand. Lixella's heart dropped into her stomach; As she watched the black wolf try to wriggle himself out of the harness. Voldemort looked back to her, "Do you not recognize him, Miss Cruxshade?" Lixella shook her head. "Maybe you need a better look," he sneered. With a flick of his wand, her chair was pushed out. She took this as a que to stand, and get a better look at the wolf. She knew it, for sure, it was the wolf from the forest; But, she shook her head once more.

"Oh, well, perhaps you just…forgot," he glided over to the wolf, "Let me jog your memory. Wormtail, do remove that harness, won't you? We want our special guest to be comfortable." Wormtail did as he was told, and removed the harness. Just as he did, the wolf began dashing for the doorway. With a wave of his wand, Voldemort shut every exit. "Don't be so rude," said Voldemort, "Leaving so soon? You don't want to stick around, and see what I have in store for her?" The great black beast, without hesitation, darted in front of Lixella. He began snarling at Voldemort, barring his great white fangs. "Now now, do calm yourself," he casted his wand at the wolf. Without needing to utter a spell, the wolf sat at attention, his mouth shut. "Good boy," said Voldemort, "Now, stop being so rude, take that mask off. After all, this is Christmas, don't you want to spend it with your only daughter?" With another flick of his wand, the wolf fell to the floor, wrenching and wriggling. It's features became more human like: His fanged teeth became straight, with a smaller jaw; His spine straightened until he looked to be upright; And, the jet black fur was sucked inward, until only the hair on his head and eyebrows remain. The world began spinning, her feet left the ground. She wasn't sure what reality was anymore. Wherever she was standing, it wasn't Earth. He was there, right in front of her. He was alive again, and smiling up at her. Lixella let out the smallest cry, "Daddy," she whimpered, looking down at her father. He turned his head, which was badly bruised, and stared at her with his striking green eyes.

"Hello, Sella," he muttered, looking half beaten to death, "Merry Christmas."

There was no control any longer, she could not hold back the tears. He was here, he was alive, her father was back. She could've reached out and hugged him; She could've reached out and touched her father again, without a coffin surrounding him. It would have been a miracle; It would have been perfect, had it not been for one man.

"So nice of you to join us, William" said a slithery voice. Reality came crashing back down around her. She realized where she was again, her mind ripped from the safety of her father's gaze. Voldemort was not going to let him off easily, there was no chance of it. She couldn't hug her father, nor could she even help him off of the floor. "William Cruxshade," said Voldemort, making his way over to her father. "For those of you who may not know, this man," he pointed his wand to William, who fell to the ground writhing in pain. "This man has not only been lying about his death, but he has also been in contact with those sneaky little Order members. Isn't that right, William?"

Lixella could not watch, she turned her face away, this was too much. Voldemort ceased torturing her father, for now. "Zander," Zander Cruxshade's head shot up, "Tell me, what do we do with traitors?"

"K-kill them, my lord," said Zander, turning his face away from his brother's.

"Not much for nobility, are you brother?" William laughed in a small voice. Zander tried to supress a laugh, recognizing his brother's unique sense of humor. Now was hardly the time to be joking around, but William was the kind of person who didn't care. No matter how seriously life threatening the situation was, he would just laugh it off.

"Quiet!" scolded Voldemort, flicking the cruciatus curse on William once more.

"It's going to take more than that, My Lord," said William, nearly out of breath, "You aren't the first one to try and silence me."

"I will kill you, William," said Voldemort.

"On Christmas?" said William, "Terrible time to do it," He stared down at the floor, lingering on what he thought would be his last look at his reflection. "Oh well then," he turned to look at Lixella, to make sure that he did not regret one thing in his life. As he found her eyes, he saw that they were now teal. She looked exactly like her mother, but would always have his personality. With that last smile, knowing that he had achieved something worthy in life he lifted himself to his knees, took one last look at his daughter and said, "have at it."

"No!" Lixella screamed, running in front of him. She expected to be hit, to drop dead at that very moment. However, when her eyes opened, she was still standing in the drawing room. Voldemort had a very interesting expression on his face; As if he had just realized something big. He turned the head chair from the table, and sat himself down facing them. "Well," he said, his eyes locked with Lixella's, his head motioning over to William.

Lixella, for the first time, shuddered at the sound of Voldemorts voice. She knew that something terrible was brewing inside of his head; And, that terrible something most likely involved her. This is what she got, for trying to save her father. This would be her punishment, for speaking up against the dark lord. "Sooner would be better than later, Miss Cruxshade," said Voldemort, growing impatient, "Since you seem to want to volunteer yourself for the job." Then, suddenly, Lixella realized what he wanted her to do.

She couldn't do it, she couldn't kill him. Surely, there had to be another way. Maybe she could get him out? Help him escape out of this house. She realized, as the world came crashing back around her, that it was useless. There was no way of getting out of this. She couldn't run away, not with her dad. The two of them, against this many death eaters, and Voldemort, was a hopeless thought. Then, a thought ran through her mind. Why didn't she just let the both of them die? She would give her life for her father, any day. Maybe, she could put herself in his place? She could go instead, and let him live.

Her gaze shot around the room, pausing to look at the reactions of two others. First, she looked from Voldemort to Draco, who could do nothing, but sit and stare at the back of Voldemort, then over to her. His expression was one of sheer disbelief; Which was a little relieving, because it told Lixella that she was not alone in her surprise. He would miss her if she did it; If she offered herself, instead. She couldn't do that to him, he didn't deserve that kind of pain; But, he would get over it, eventually. He would be able to live without her. She didn't want that, though. She didn't want him living without her. It was a selfish though, but she didn't care.

Then, her eyes moved to Zander, who could not take his gaze off of William. It was painfully obvious that he wanted his brother, as much as Lixella wanted her father. If she gave herself up, then Uncle Zander could have his brother again. The two of them made each other so happy. But, would her uncle Zander miss her or her father more? Surely, he would miss his brother more. They deserved each other. They deserved to be happy together, again. Zander needed his brother, especially during this time. Perhaps she could give herself up?

No, she couldn't fully. Draco needed her there, as much as Zander needed William. Then there were the banshees. She couldn't just leave them with Voldemort. No one would be able to lead them through this war. Then there was Jynx, and Nym; She couldn't just leave them behind. Lixella couldn't die, she realized, because she had too much to live for. That was it, too many people needed her. She would have to kill her father.

Lastly, with hesitation, her gaze met her father's once more. He, unlike so many in the room, was smiling. A smirk was plastered across his face, mocking her. Something awful welled up inside of her, she was angry that he was so happy. How dare he smile at this! How dare he be so content with the fact that she had to kill him! How dare he openly accept that his daughter would have to take his life to save hers! How dare he be so much braver than she was!

Then, as if he could read her thoughts, William nodded as if to say, "C'mon Lixella, show your old dad what you've got." It was a challenge; Just like so many of those duels they would have when she was younger. Her dad was testing her, and if she didn't pass, she would pay the full price. She had to be brave, but not the orthodox kind of brave, she had to be the Cruxshade kind of brave. She had to be brave enough to kill her father, so that she could live for him. This was it, she had to make him proud. This was the moment where she would prove that she could handle all that he had ever taught her. Lixella lifted her wand, ready to take the life of her own father. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see what she was about to do. A sound caught her ears, as she soaked in the cold feeling of murder. It was as cold as the snow outside, but not as peaceful. Death was peaceful, certainly. It was silent, it sounded like peaceful rest. It sounded distant, like the sound of the distant hissing. Hissing? What was hissing?

"What?" shouted Voldemort, "Now!"

Lixella looked over to find the dark lord in quite a state of conflict. She wasn't sure how, but she could hear hissing. Suddenly, he shot up from his chair, and turned back to Lixella. "I will deal with the both of you later," he scolded. It was strange to hear him so angry, without being tortured at the same time. He called upon several others to follow him. "Keep the traitor here," he shouted, to what Lixella thought was Wormtail, "throw him in the cellar, and lock him there!" With that last remark, he had vanished, along with several others. Wormtail quickly scurried over to William, pointing his wand at him with cowardly defense.

"Up you," said Wormtail. William just laughed, not moving. "I said up,"

"Really, Wormtail," he said, rolling his eyes, "You should work on your intimidation. I keep telling you to stop shaking like a flea ridden dog. It's not doing anything good for you."

"Up!" Wormtail shouted

"Alright, alright," said William, as he lifted himself from the floor. Wormtail lead him towards the exit. "Lovely place you have here, Lucius," he shouted, gazing around the room, "Just as I remember it. It's just a terrible shame, that I won't be able to come see your well matched draperies again. Though, I have never seen your cellar; This should be a treat."

Lixella couldn't hold back the sly smile on her face. She had missed her dad more than she could say. She watched as he exited the drawing room, trying to hold back laughter. She must have looked like rather rude, standing there with her hand over her mouth, trying to choke down laughter. There was a long few seconds of silence, which felt like an eternity. She stared down, turning her wand around in her hands. Perhaps she could get him out of the cellar? It would be much easier than fighting everyone off. No, she had to stay here. She couldn't go running off with him, it wasn't an option. But, she couldn't just let him die.

Then, there were several loud pops of noise from the foyer. Those left in the room, which weren't very many: The Malfoys, Uncle Zander, Snape, Bellatrix, Yaxley, Dawlish, and three others, took several moments of silence, to stare at one another. "What was that?" asked Bellatrix, her eyes wide with maddening fear. She got up from her seat, and slowly approached the doorway. She suddenly took two steps back; As a strange pink mist began seeping under the door. Lixella smiled, knowing the signature pink smoke of her father's Obscurity Bombs. They were an invention that he made during his time at Hogwarts. Wonderful for quick getaways, and distractions.

That sneaky devil, he had stowed a few in his cloak, in case he was caught. She could almost cheer with how much she adored her father's genius. Bellatrix, along with Lucius and Yaxley, had already made their way out into the smoke filled halls. There were several more loud pops, a flash of light, and a scream of, "Wormtail, you daft idiot!"

Lixella, along with those left, made their way out into the hall, as well. It was quite a sight, having the sparkling pink mist fill the well dressed foyer. The most interesting sight, however, was the silhouette of her father as it grew smaller down the foyer, and out the front door. Lixella darted for the door, and made her way out into the clear night. William was running for the front gate, but stopped as he realized that he couldn't get out. He turned around to Lixella. They were the only two at the end of the path; The others were close behind. Her father looked behind her, to the approaching party, and then back to his daughter. With a smirk he lifted his wand and said, "What say you, Sella? You want daddy to teach you how to fight?" Lixella's heart stopped, recognizing the phrase. It was the phrase that he used to say before training her in dueling. She nodded, and lifted her wand in front of her.

Their eyes were locked on one another, waiting for the first move. Everything was completely silent, aside form the sound of crunching gravel, and the rustling breeze. Then, William shot a bolt of red toward his daughter, without needing a verbal incantation. She deflected it, but was jerked back by the force. Lixella was rusty, and her father could tell. "Come now," he said, shooting a bolt of white light at her, "Surely you haven't forgotten your training?" The party of death eaters stopped a few feet from them. Lixella peered behind her, but was jerked back by another spell, knocking her to the ground. "Tsk, tsk," he taunted, waiving a finger in front of his face, "Disappointing. I know that I've taught you better than this!"

Bellatrix held her wand up, ready to kill; But, her arm was grabbed by Zander. He looked her straight in the eyes and said, "I'm sure the dark lord wants Lixella to do this one, don't you?" With a huff, Bellatrix lowered her wand and let out an annoyed grunt.

It was Lixella and her father now, no one between them. Her mother wasn't there to stop them from fighting; Which meant that her father would be merciless. She had to win, even though it meant that he would die. At least she could show him that she could finally beat him. A rainbow of bright lights riddled the dark sky, as Lixella and her father shot spells at one another. At one point, Lixella had him trapped in a twister of ash and cinder (Her mother's signature move), causing him to choke on the fumes, but he blew them away with a charm.

Her father was becoming impatient with her. "_Colloshoo_," he cried, the spell hit Lixella's feet, which became glued to the spot. She tried wriggling them around, but could not move. Her dad smirked, and threw another obscurity bomb, exploding the area into a mist of pink smoke. She stopped struggling, and listened for him. He did this move on her often, when he was growing impatient with her casting. The party of death eaters were watching intently, looking around as well. Suddenly there was a rustling, and a jet of fire shot towards Lixella. She had only enough time to cast a fire freezing charm on herself. The fire surrounded her, circling her body like a twisting serpent. It did not hurt her though, only causing a tingling sensation. Her eyes began watering from the intense heat, "_Aguamente,_" she shouted, pointing her wand to the sky. The fire subsided, leaving the ground muddy and warm. She barely had time to hold her breath as a cruciatus curse came hurling towards her. Lixella stumbled, deflecting the curse back towards her father; Who fell to the ground in pain. "Don't you try that one on me, old man!" she shouted, "I know your moves."

William stared up at his daughter, "Go on then," he nodded. He wanted her to kill him, to prove that she was strong enough. It was twisted, and terrible. She couldn't raise her wand, not for this. Her father saw her defeat, and laughed, "always daddy's little girl," he smiled, "aren't you?"

Everything happened so quickly. There was a loud pop of noise, that caused her to cover her ears. Then, a rush of pressure, sending her flying backwards. Lastly, several figures, dressed in hooded red robes, appeared around them all. Some began fighting the party behind her, but one of them was standing next to her father. Lixella landed hard against the gravel, and scurried up to her elbows. She was scratched, bleeding, and dizzy from the battle; But she had to know what was happening. The figure had it's back to Lixella. It turned ever so slightly, and she swore that she could make out a familiar face. "Arthus," she breathed. The figure grabbed her father's arm, and made a two toned whistle. He pointed his wand at Lixella, and muttered another spell, knocking her out cold. Then, as if it had never happened, the gravel entrance was calm again. The hooded figures were gone, vanished into thin air, along with Lixella's father.

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><p>Yeah, so her cousin, if you remember him, is still in the game. ( I also hope you haven't forgotten about those red robes) This should be fun!<p>

I'll be posting the next one soon, and thank you for the wonderful reviews!

Happy Travels!

Reviewing reviews:

Marlene: I DID!

Oceanic Vista: Yes, it is a ship...and it is a wonderful ship! I should write Drapple fic, just for funsies! Also, I FIND your review to be very wonderful! Thank you for reading this far. I always wonder if I make things too long.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: Right? I mean, I did always wish that he would kind of realize how hard the death eaters have it. In the books, he's so one sided with his understanding of everyone. It's understandable, but I think it would have been better if he could see both sides, ya know?

Raine Amorial: I love how you guys thought I went too easy on Harry! I did that for a reason, though. I'm saving most of the anger for a very specific pink mass of ceramic cat vomit! I can't wait to write more Pansy and Lixella, those two are so much fun to write in conversation!

FeyFaerie: Yes! It's such a good scene, he shoves them all aside like, "Move it! I have an apple, and am therefore cooler than all of you!" I always watch that part and think, "Where the hell did he get that apple from? Did he just pluck it off of a tree or something?" Then I have a picture of him, in my head, turning around and being like, "this tree is inferior, because it is lacking in apples," shoots a spell, tree grows an apple. Then, he just smirks, plucks it off, and decides that he has to let everyone know how cool this apple is, so he shoves them all aside, and eats it. Either that, or i picture him having one in a lunchbox, that is put together by his mom, and always has an apple in it XD

Okay, I'm writing a drapple fic now. Just like a one shot, for shits and giggles XD I should also write a Dean Winchester X Pie fic, for the Supernatural fans!

Thanks for the reviews guys!


	26. Parchment 26: Consequences

Oh my wizard god! Exams are going to kill me you guys!

Also, I have officially decided to revise the first story, and rename it. Maybe it's because I'm picky, but it keeps bothering me.

Plus, I thought of a better plot line.

Anywhos, here's an informative and entertaining chapter!

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 26: Consequences

"What say you, Sella?" the man leaned down to her height, "You want daddy to teach you how to fight?" His hair was black, which was dramatic against his pale peach skin. His facial features were blurred, but his eyes were locked with hers. The green eyes looked different, happier; As if he lacked a care in the world. They existed in the past, a happier time, before this terrible war. She reached a hand to her wand, and stood herself in a dueling stance. "I'll get it right this time, for sure!" she exclaimed. He simply laughed at her, putting himself in a dueling stance as well, "Always daddy's little girl," he replied, "Aren't you?"

She would give anything, even her life, to go back to this time. When things were simpler, when fighting was nothing but playing to her. Back when she was only pretending to be a soldier. Those moments, when it was just her and her dad, pretending to be locked in combat. It was kinder, to be beaten by someone you loved, rather than someone you despised. At least then, after the battling, there was always a hand to help her up. She never had to help herself up.

Her eyes opened, heavy from her lack of energy. She was sprawled out on her side, strung across the gravel like a rag doll. She could feel the cuts and scratches filling in with blood, clotting for protection from the unsanitary world outside. The air was cold, and bit at the raw skin on her scrapes. She did not move, not even to lift herself off the ground. Lixella just lay there, her eyes fixated on her left arm; Which was sprawled out in front of her. That cursed skull and snake, slithering and twitching around on her skin; As if it owned a part of her. Her eyes moved to her right arm, draped over her side. The word, "LIAR," was still carved into her flesh. The two of them made an excellent parallel, describing her life perfectly. She was living in hell, having to lie in order to stay there. That dark mark on her arm was a lie, it meant nothing to her. But, she would never be able to get rid of it. It was a part of her identity, no matter how false. Lixella was a death eater, forever stuck on that side of the fence. Her father was gone, again. He was running from her, because she wasn't strong enough. She couldn't beat him, she had failed. He must be so disappointed in her, for choosing this side. He must be so angry that she didn't come with him; Even though he has spent the last year, running from fear, just to see her.

"Lixella?" asked the voice of her uncle Zander. She turned her eyes to him, but not her head. She did not want to avert her attention from the wicked truth on her arms. Not to mention, she was far too scuffed up to want to move. He put a hand on her shoulder, "I know," he nodded. It was good, at least, to have someone that understood her current pain. "But," he said in a low voice, "He is, at least, alive." She felt empty, as if the compassion had just been sucked out of her. Only apathy remained. Nothing but muggy, emotionless apathy.

She had nearly killed her own father. She had almost raised her wand at him, to take his life. She had almost taken someone's life, someone she cared about. The worst part was that, in that short moment, she had convinced herself that it was okay. She had twisted her own speech, and thought, around until they made her action a good one. How could she have done that? How could she have thought that it was alright to murder her own father? She had never contemplated killing anything before. Who was she? What was she?

Uncle Zander helped her to her feet. She was quite happy to not be wearing her usual Christmas attire of dresses and heels. Had she been wearing heels, she would have fallen over from how much her head was spinning. She looked around, it seemed that she wasn't the only one who got thrown to the ground. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Bellatrix came rushing across the pathway. She grabbed Lixella's shirt, gripping it tight, and stared at her with mad dark eyes. "How did they get out?" she sneered, almost spitting in Lixella's face. Lixella just stared at her, blinking. "How did he escape?" Bellatrix almost shouted.

"I don't know," Lixella stated, shaking her head with attitude. How could Lixella possibly tell where they went? Why did Bellatrix insist on thinking that it was her fault? "Maybe they apparated away?" she asked.

"This entire estate is covered in disapparition charms," said Lucius, helping his wife off of the ground.

"Yes, how did they get out?" uncle Zander asked to no one in particular.

"Knowing William," said Snape, "He probably had a trick up his sleeve. He was always very good at wriggling his way out of trouble." For a moment, his eyes shot to Lixella. She did not understand this gesture, as she had never gotten in trouble with Snape. Though, she was her father's daughter, and several teachers at Lunareth would say the same about her.

"you had better hope the dark lord is in a sparing mood when he returns," said Bellatrix, still clinging to her collar. "Or else this could be a very un-merry Christmas" her eyes were slits, "for you."

"Why?" asked Lixella, equally as venomous, "Is it because you'll have to spend it watching me get punished? No, watching your lover torture me would be a great Christmas gift, wouldn't it?"

"Why you filthy little…"

"Bella!" shouted Narcissa, jerking her sister's arm down, "She's just a girl!"

Bella huffed, pouting at her sister. Her eyes shifted back to Lixella, full of hate, "Younger or not, she needs to learn where to keep that sharp tongue of hers."

"I rather agree with Bellatrix on this one, Narcissa," said Snape, "Perhaps she needs to learn to…keep quiet."

"There will be no punishing anyone," snapped Narcissa, "I think we've all had quite enough for one night."

Bellatrix turned around, and marched back inside, pouting all the way to the door. Lixella smirked, on the inside, as she watched the mad woman trot off. Her uncle nudged her, "Good one," he mouthed, giving her a wink. He very clearly missed his brother's sense of humor. Lixella figured that, for now, she could fill that space.

Suddenly, the wind picked up, and began blowing rapidly across the entrance. They all made their way back inside, but were stopped by a large black mass. It spun around rapidly, until the wind ceased and Voldemort stood before them. Lixella had almost forgotten that he had left in the first place. He certainly did not look very happy. His head shot in every direction, looking for something to take his anger out on. Lixella let out a sigh, and tried to not roll her eyes. She knew exactly what was coming.

"Where is he?" shouted Voldemort, darting his attention from person to person.

"He got away, my lord," said Snape.

"What?" shouted Voldemort, "How? Who let him loose?"

His attention shifted to Wormtail, who was cowering behind him. "You couldn't hold him still for two seconds?" It was terribly obvious how angry he was; But, he didn't seem to be angry at Lixella's father. She knew that he was just throwing a tantrum, because he failed to kill Harry once more.

"Wormtail did fall prey to one of William's escape acts," said Snape, "However, it was not his fault."

Lixella was going to kill Snape.

"The little banshee girl couldn't kill him, my lord," exclaimed Bellatrix, wanting revenge. "She just let him walk free," Lixella was going to murder Bellatrix, first chance she got.

"Ah yes," he turned to Lixella for the first time; As if she hadn't existed until now. "The dear loving daughter," he said in a voice as sleek as satin, "Daddy's little girl."

Here it comes, the punishment. Lixella could have laughed at his predictability. She braced herself for the next move, maybe even death. She, for the first time, did not care what he did to her. The spell hit her square in the stomach, and she went flying backwards. Several feet of ground passed below her, and she skidded across the gravel once more. "Next time I give you an order," he exclaimed, as she landed, "I expect you to follow it through."

She breathed a single breath of apathy, and the familiar feeling of torture shot through her nerves. It was sickening, the fact that he was taking his anger out on her. But, that was Voldemort; A whining bully, who beat up others when he didn't get his way. Lixella was so tired of this. She was tired of being someone's henchman. She was tired of being trapped in this tyranous dictatorship. She simply did not care about anything anymore.

Her screams subsided, and Voldemort stood over her. "I do not have time for failures, Lixella," he said, "Nor do I have time to keep chasing your traitor father." Ah, so there was more to this punishment. Lixella could almost guess it. "I will be putting this task in your hands now," he said, "It'll give some use to those banshees of yours. Since you have so many, I say you put them on the job. I don't like waiting, so be quick about it."

She had been correct. In order for Voldemort to not kill her, she would have to prove useful somehow. Therefore, he would make her use something she cared about, to punish her. The predictability was too much for her to even roll her eyes at. She did not bother trying to get up; The night sky was much more attractive than whatever Voldemort was saying. The gravel scratched against her raw cuts, and she could feel bruises being formed. Her muscles were aching for a more comforting ground to lay on, perhaps a mattress. It would be nice to just lay there, and never get up.

There was a muffled swishing noise, along with a rapid change in the wind. She suspected that Voldemort had just disapparated. Now would be a good time to get up. Lixella lifted herself from the rocky ground, and looked down at her legs. Needless to say, her clothes were ruined. She was a lot more scraped up than she had originally thought. Her legs were covered in blood speckled scratches; And, from what she could feel, her face was scratched as well.

She blinked a few times, trying to shoo away the dizziness in her head. Then, out of nowhere, something crashed into her. She was suddenly wrapped in a hug, a very tight hug, from Draco. Why was he hugging her? Of course, she had nearly died a few times tonight, and almost killed her own father. It was ridiculously comfortable, his hugging. He was a lot warmer than she was; Also, he wasn't covered in dirt and blood. Nonetheless, this was still rather odd. It seemed strange, having him hug her out of nowhere. "This is…er, weird," she said, without thinking.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"Well, you don't have to apologize," she said, extremely confused by this weird mood that he was in. "It's not a bad thing…It's just, the sudden hugging seems a bit...er, out of character for you, don't you think?"

She was not sure why he was apologizing, there was nothing to apologize for. Wait, he was apologizing? Draco never apologized for anything. What was going on?

"a-are you okay?" she asked, sounding very worried for his health.

"Yeah," he nodded. His answer was more of a passing comment than an answer. He was not paying a scrap of attention to what she was saying. His eyes were fixated on the reddened scratches on her face. "That's the third time," he said, his voice trailed off; As if he was talking more to himself than to her. This was the third time that she'd been beaten by someone, and he had done nothing about it. He had made that promise, back in October, that he would keep her from getting wounded again. That he wouldn't let anything else hurt her that badly. So far, he had done nothing to keep that promise. It seemed like every time he looked at her, she was wounded, somehow.

He brought a hand to her forehead, and brushed away a smudge of dirt. "Why is it that you are always getting scratched up?" he asked, staring almost dazedly at the dried blood. He wanted to clean it all off. She looked strange when she was scratched up like this.

"Because I'm the one who can't keep quiet," she said with a tone of resentment. She knew the truth, "If I kept quiet I probably wouldn't have to deal with half of this crap."

"No," Draco shook his head, "You would still have to deal with all of this. You would just avoid the part where everyone tries to kill you."

"It would be a better idea to avoid that," she nodded, "wouldn't it?"

"You won't."

"True."

Lixella wasn't much for keeping quiet, that was obvious. Rebellion was second nature to her. If someone was going to try to take her down, she would not make it easy for them. Though, she could not deny that her situation would be easier to get through, if she could just stop speaking out. To her, staying quiet was agreeing, and Lixella did not agree with any of this. The only reason she was here, was because there were people here that needed her.

However, the one person that she needed the most, was on the other side. Her dad could be anywhere right now. How would she get the banshees to look for him? She couldn't just capture her own father, and drag him off to be killed. Voldemort would most likely make her kill him. She did not want that running through her mind again.

"Pretty twisted Christmas, huh?" said Draco, staring towards the front gate. He wanted to be anywhere else, anywhere but here.

"Yeah," sighed Lixella, looking in the same direction. There it was, the exit, sitting only a few yards away. She could do it, run away right now, and never come back. Her gaze shifted back to Draco, "pretty twisted."

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><p>Only a few days after the Christmas mess, Lixella set out to find the banshees. They usually stayed around abandoned buildings, and crypts. They had made their dwelling spot in the Cruxshade family crypt. It was much bigger than the Duskwood family cemetery, probably because the Cruxshades had lived in the same manor for more centuries. It was much more comfortable with the banshees. They seemed to have a completely separate life from the war. Considering that they weren't really involved in it. Lixella sat beneath one of the many large trees that surrounded the Crypt. She had been relaying the story of last night to the banshees, for the past hour. She told them about her father, how he was alive, and how Voldemort wanted her to kill him.<p>

"How could anyone let this terrible man be in power?" asked Aileen.

"Aileen," said Cordellia, "Just because you and I died to rid _our_ corner of the world from darkness, doesn't mean that _all_ of the darkness in the world was extinguished."

"Yes, but," said Aileen, "how could anyone follow this man? I can understand the basilisk, that was a creature. This is a human being. Surely he must have some kind of compassion. Humans always have some kind of compassion."

"Not him," Lixella shook her head, "I don't know why he doesn't. He isn't exactly human."

The banshees stared at her in confusion. She proceeded to explain how Voldemort had come back to life, after being killed by Harry 16 years ago.

"But," said Aileen, "In order for anything to be resurrected, it must have a soul. How did he acquire a soul after being killed. Once someone is killed, the soul is ripped from their body. Then it either moves on, stays put, or it is taken by banshees. The only way he could exist here, is as a ghost."

"I don't know how he got a soul," said Lixella, "Nonetheless how he acquired his own soul again."

If there was anyone who understood resurrection and souls, it was the banshees and the Duskwoods. The history of both was wrapped in the study of resurrection. They knew that one thing was for sure. In order to come back to life as yourself, you had to have your own soul.

"There is a way," said Cordellia. Aileen and Lixella looked over to her with wide eyes. "It is old magic, very dark," she stared at the ground, "I came across it when I was human."

"How is it possible?" asked Aileen

"It's called a horcrux, I think," said Cordellia. "The point of it is to enclose a piece of your soul inside of it. It can be anything, even as simple as a locket." She motioned to the locket around Lixella's neck. "In order to create one, you have to split your soul up, by killing others."

"He's done plenty of that," said Lixella, "Trust me."

She stared out at the scenery, as Cordellia further explained horcruxs to Aileen. The two of them were as white as the snow that covered the ground. Lixella wondered if that was it, horcruxs. Perhaps that was how Voldemort kept himself alive. It seemed completely possible. If it was true then, with the number of people he has killed, he could have an endless supply of horcruxs.

"Who discovered this, Cordellia?" asked Aileen, in disbelief of this items existence.

Cordellia did not answer, but looked to the ground. "Well," she breathed, "he was a…a very twisted man. He was mad, wanting nothing but immortality. He was," she looked over to Lixella, "A very old relative of yours."

"What?" Lixella's heart skipped a beat.

"His name was Herpo," said Cordellia, "There are several family lines that can connect to his. He was positively obsessed with dark magic, and soul preservation. He was also one of the first parseltongues. A very interesting man, but very twisted."

"No," said Lixella, "There is no way that the Duskwoods could possibly have anything to do with him." Aileen and Cordellia stared at her in confusion, as if she was wrong. "The Duskwoods don't trace back to anyone named Herpo," she said, "I've read all of the family trees. I know all of the connections. There's no way tha…" Then, it hit her. Lixella thought Duskwood first, simply because of their obsession with souls and resurrection. But, she missed a very crucial part of that. The Duskwoods obsession was only because of the banshees. It wasn't her mother's side, because her father's side made so much more sense. Cruxshade, the perfect name. It literally stood for, "A shadowed soul". A soul that had been shrouded in darkness. A soul that a wizard as dark as Herpo would most likely have. How could she possibly have missed that? "Oh…" she breathed, "of course."

"It is a very dark place that your family comes from," said Aileen, "You especially. What with both of your families obsessions with souls."

"And, to think," said Cordellia, "that you, a product of such a terribly dark history, would turn out to be so opposite."

Lixella had a hard time believing her family tree, sometimes. The histories of both, were riddled with sinister things. Cruxshades were inventors. It was no wonder that a distant relative of hers would have invented something to conceal immortality in. She remembered reading through the family trees of the Cruxshades, left at her American home by her father. That name popped up, of her relative that discovered the cruciatus curse. She shuddered a bit, thinking of how terrible her family was.

"Now," said Cordellia, "Your father. You need for us to locate him?"

"Yes," said Lixella, shaking away her thoughts, "I need you all to look for him. I think he is traveling with Arthus, my cousin. Also, they seem to be with a few others, wearing red robes."

"Red robes?" asked Aileen, wide eyed.

"Yes, red," nodded Lixella, wondering why Aileen looked so surprised.

Aileen looked to Cordellia with a terrified expression. "you don't think?" she said

"Were there any symbols on these robes, Lixella?" Cordellia asked quickly.

"No," Lixella shook her head, "Why?"

The two banshees exchanged another glance. "Back before you were born," said Aileen, "There was a group of witches and wizards, they were hunters." Lixella's fance scrunched up, puzzled. What was a hunter?

"Their goal was to rid the world of anything dark," said Cordellia, "But, their definition of dark was much more than anyone else's. They were a terrible threat to the banshees."

"They were the ones who set the basilisk into the forest," Aileen chimed in, "They figured that they could kill two birds with one stone. If they got the basilisk in there, and had it take out all of the other creatures; Then, they could plague the whole place, and it would be 'pure'."

Again, the obsession of purity confused Lixella. She did not understand why everyone wanted to be so pure.

"They're a very old group of people," said Cordellia, "Very very secretive. I had thought that they were all dead."

"You said something about a symbol," said Lixella, "what's their symbol?"

"A pentagram," said Cordellia, shaking her head, "made of hawthorn branches."

"They're a terrible insult to that wonderful religion," scolded Aileen, "I hate when people misuse that symbol."

There was a blurred flash, like a snapshot in her mind. The feeling of choking, two men in red robes. An old fireplace, sitting next to a shimmering basin. A symbol, carved into the stone of the basin's holder. A star, encircled completely, and made of thorned branches. It lasted for only a second, and left so quickly that Lixella wasn't sure if she had imagined it or not.

"If these people have your father, Lixella," said Cordellia. Lixella snapped out of her strange daydream. "We must act quickly to get him out."

"Why would they want my dad?" asked Lixella, "I think he's only there because my cousin knows that he needs help."

"He's _your_ father," said Aileen, "They must think that he can get you there."

"But, why would they wa…" she started.

"Don't you know who you are, Lixella?" asked Aileen, "You were me at one point. We shared the same body up until now." Lixella was still confused.

"They don't know that you have resurrected us, Lixella," said Cordellia.

"They must think that if they can get to you, and kill you," said Aileen, "Then that will prevent the Duskwood banshees from returning. Thus, causing another dark species to go extinct."

Lixella stared at the ground, "And they're using my father to lure me there."

"We have to help," said Aileen, suddenly turning to Cordellia.

"Aileen, if they catch us, they will not hold back, you know that," said Cordellia.

"We have gone up against them before, Cordellia," said Aileen. She searched her best friend's face for some kind of agreement. "This girl," she pointed to Lixella, "Has gone through so much for us. I know, I was there while it was happening. All that she wants is her father. Plus, we have grown in numbers, and we are strong." Cordellia looked down, unsure of what to say. "If anyone deserves our help," said Aileen, "It's Lixella. We owe her so much. We have to take these men down, no matter what."

Aileen sounded strong and tough. She had the perfect tone of a great leader.

"Alright," agreed Cordellia, "But, we will do things carefully. This is going to take some time."

Cordellia was the perfect first mate. She brought Aileen back down to earth, and grounded their plans, so they could succeed.

Lixella felt so appreciated. These two were going to help her save her father, even if it meant starting a war of their own. "Thank you," she said, standing up, and hugging them both, "This means so much to me."

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><p>OH MAH GAWD! So, you all kept asking about the men in red robes. Try to remember back to the prequel, with Arclese and Tidon. That should help!<p>

thank you for reading, happy Thursday!

TheUsernameIWantedwasTaken: yes, Dean/Pie fic will happen! Definintely...In fact, I plan on having an absurd fanfic week, the first week of my summer vacation, where I will be writing one absurd slashfic everyday! Lixella's father is a bit of a twisted bloke! he's pretty mad, and rather confusing.

FeyFaerie: Those red robes...from chapter 2 of the first story. I really should have been more clear with that one, sorry. I hope this helped. Oh gosh I can't wait to write these wonderful fics!

Raine Amorial: Harry doesn't know Arthus. Though, in my mind, the two of them would get along very well.

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: You always review with the same thing, thank you for always reviewing! I love reviews ^_^

DizzyPotter: DO NOT BLOW UP! you're gonna miss all of the good stuff! Poor little Lita, whatever shall she do? *spoilers dear, spoilers* Voldemort is a terrible bully, I'm convinced that it's because he has no nose. Without a nose, you can't smell cookies, or firewood...what's the point of life without the ability to sniff? Draco will get his apple, no need to worry. And, Bellatrix will...well I think I speak for everyone when I say that Molly Weasley is a bad ass!

Thanks for the reviews guys! See you all next chapter, when we get back to Hogwarts :D


	27. Parchment 27: The Train

Oh dear god, Chapter 27!

So, DezziPenn will kill me for posting another chapter so soon, but I need my fix dammit!

My brain just keep spewing stuff onto paper! or, onto computer screen...whatever!

So, enjoy the train ride you guys!

Because while you're reading I'll be taking an exam!

Oh, and IT'S MY BIRTHDAY..so here's a present for y'all!

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 27: The Train

A new year, a brand new year. All over the world, people were making resolutions, dreaming about what this year held for them. New hope rose, reaching for a better tomorrow. At least, that's what was happening in the muggle world. The streets were bustling with the sound of business. People were coming back from the New Years daze, ready to get back to work. A few of them hopped on trains, ready to visit their loved ones or head back to school. Looking over the transportation of these muggles was Walter Corbits. He had been working as a train conductor for many years. It had been so long, that he practically knew the way that King's cross station worked. He walked around the platform, making sure that everyone got to where they needed. As he walked, he began noticing something rather odd. It happened at this time every year. Oddly dressed families with children would roll in carts of trunks, most likely seeing them off to school. This was not the peculiar part. What was peculiar, was the many strange creatures that the students carried. Owls, cats, bats, and even toads; Walter had never known a school that allowed such animals in it. Not only that, but these families would chat about the strangest things. One time, while listening in on a conversation, Walter heard one of them say something about, "Muggles," and also, "You-know-who." He certainly did not know who.

His thoughts were interrupted by shouting. "Addie!" a voice cried out. Walter looked up to find a young girl, rushing down the platform. She darted between people, chasing rather fiercly after a white cat. The cat sprinted towards Walter, he leaned down to catch it, but it slipped just between his legs. He looked behind him, watching it grow farther away. Suddenly, something bumped into him, and he comically fell to the ground. "I'm sorry," shouted a voice. He looked back to see a girl, with a mane of black hair, running away. She was dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform, with accents of silver and green.

The white cat named Addie darted down the platform, until it came to the wall between platforms 9 and 10. "Come 'ere ya ruddy feline!" shouted Jynx. She nose dived through the wall, and caught Addie by her back end. "Ha!" she laughed, "I got you now!" she stood up, holding down the struggling feline. Addie, eventually, gave up on escape, and slumped in Jynx's arms. "Now," said Jynx, out of breath, "Where did Dad ge' off to?" She shoved her way through the crowd of parents. The platform was a lot different now. Every train car was divided by houses. Some of them had been self claimed by a certain year of each house. There were less people than usual, ever since they enforced the law that muggle-borns weren't allowed to attend school. She tried to stand up higher, which was unnecessary since she was so tall. She bumped into something, and looked up to find a boy with short black hair. Jynx had seen him before, but never talked to him, she only knew him because he spent most of his time blowing things up. "Ga!'" he exclaimed, "Watch where you're goin', would yoo…" His expression changed into one of animosity once he noticed her Slytherin badge. "Nevermin'," he said, shoving past her.

"Honesly, Addie," said Jynx, shaking her head, "An' 'ere I was goin' to tell 'im I was a big fan of 'is work." Things had changed in the students as well. Most of the other houses had grown to hate Slytherin even more than before. People started avoiding each other because of their house placements. Gryffindors especially, had begun taking the house rivalry against Slytherin to terrible extremes. Jynx remembered the graffiti on the walls, and the constant whisperings that she would hear from others during class. It made her a little angry, how hostile Gryffindor was being towards them. Every time she walked down the hall, she got strange looks of distrust form other people. She had done absolutely nothing to them, and had no part in this war. What bothered her most, though, was how they all kept whispering. If they had something to say, they could say it to her face. At least Slytherins were outright with how mean and crude they could be. In her mind, if you were going to talk about someone, saying it to their face was much more courageous than talking behind their back.

"Jynx?" questioned a dreamy voice. She turned to find Luna Lovegood standing behind her. Neville gave her a wave and a smile, standing next to Luna.

"Luna!" exclaimed Jynx, pulling the girl into a suffocating hug, nearly squishing her cat Addie. "and Neville," Addie was gasping for air once more, as Jynx pulled Neville into a hug as well. " How've you two been?" she asked.

"Rather shaken," nodded Luna casually, "Christmas was interesting."

Jynx stared at her, befuddled. "The death eaters are getting angry with what her father's been writing," explained Neville, "Some of them, apparently, showed up at her house on Christmas day, of all days. Said that if he didn't stop printing, bad things were gonna happen."

"On Christmas?" asked Jynx, "Tha's ridiculous!"

"yeah," nodded Neville, "But, how else would those losers celebrate the holidays?"

"He's printed one last issue, though," said Luna, watching the smoke billow out of the head of the train.

"I think it's a really courageous move," said Neville, "He's not giving in easily."

The whole time he was talking, his gaze was lingering on Luna. It was as if he didn't want to take his eyes off of her. He seemed to be particularly interested in her long pale blond hair, as it shined in the sunlight. Jynx noticed this, and let out a laugh. Neville's eyes shot back to her. Jynx gave him a single nod, motioning over to Luna. He blushed a pale pink in his cheeks, and kept on with the conversation. "So, how was your Christmas?" he asked to Jynx, trying to lessen the blush on his face.

"It was a'right," she shrugged, "Nothin' terribly special to report. Oh I did see…"

"Lixella Cruxshade!" She was interrupted by a loud shrill cry from the end of the platform. The whole platform turned their heads to find a tall thin woman, with a strict posture, waving her hands in the air and shouting at a rather annoyed looking young girl.

"That is the last time that I will tell you to stop," cried aunt Iris. "Honestly, the way you act in public, it's hardly acceptable. Are you listening to me, child?"

"Yes, Aunt Iris," Lixella nodded, not paying a scrap of attention. She pushed her way through the large group of people. Trying to get as much distance between her and her aunt as possible. She suddenly noticed Jynx, standing only a few feet away next to Neville and Luna. With as much haste as she could manage, she shoved her way over to them.

"Hide me," she whispered, ducking behind Jynx.

"Are you okay Lixella?" asked Neville.

"No," she shook her head, "Haven't you seen? There's a mad woman after me!"

"Oh, hello Lixella," Luna said, her expression looking as if she was floating back to Earth. "Why are you crouching so strangely? Are you trying to avoid something terrible?"

"Lixella," her aunt pushed through the crowd, stopping just in front of Jynx. "Lixella, I see you back there. I am not an idiot." Lixella came out from behind Jynx, and readied herself for the scolding. However, she was surprised to find her aunt's arms around her instead.

"Be safe," said aunt Iris, still hugging her. It was odd, receiving a hug from her aunt. Lixella and her aunt never hugged. The two of them usually spent their time together bickering about manners. The thought of aunt Iris worrying about her, had never crossed Lixella's mind. It was strangely heart warming, to know that she cared so much. "I will," said Lixella. She wrapped her arms around her aunt and, for the first time in years, sincerely hugged her back. Aunt Iris gave her one last nod before heading away from the platform.

"That seemed awkward," nodded Luna, "But touching."

Luna's ability to perfectly voice the honest atmosphere of a situation, never ceased to amaze Lixella.

"How have you guys been?" asked Lixella, pulling Neville and Luna into a nearly bone crushing hug, at the same time. "I've missed you both so much! How's Hogwarts? I'm sure it's just been dreadfully hard what wi…" The train gave a loud yell, signaling that it was last boarding call.

"Better discuss this all in the train car," said Neville.

"We can't sit together Neville," said Jynx, "'membah?"

"Oh, what are they gonna do? Really?" Neville pushed his way through the crowd.

The four of them ended up finding a nice table in what they believed to be one of the Gryffindor cars. Lixella suspected this for two reasons: The first was that Neville knew practically everyone; The second was because everyone kept sending faint but not completely unnoticeable glares at Jynx and herself. A good portion of the journey was spent catching up. Lixella told them about America, and going back; Though, she left out the part about raising banshees for Voldemort. She was more anxious to know about Hogwarts.

"It's a right piece 'o work, if ya ask me," said Jynx, "It ain't 'ogwarts no more."

"That bad, huh?" asked Lixella

"yeah," nodded Jynx, "Now they got us doin' Dark arts class."

"They've been trying to get us to practice the cruciatus curse on first years," said Neville

"That's disgusting," spat Lixella, "How could they possibly think that's okay?"

"They've got Snape supporting' 'em" Jynx nodded

"Yeah," said Neville, "not to mention support from blokes like Crabbe and Goyle."

Lixella let out a long sigh, "they would…they so would."

"I reckon it's cuz they're so thick," said Jynx, "It doesn't take much to torture someone. Gotta be tha first time they've been good at anythin' academic wise."

"It isn't just them though," said Luna, "I think that they have the support of most of Slytherin house."

"Prolly out o' fear," said Jynx

Now Lixella understood why everyone was glaring at her. She looked around the train car. All of them must feel so terribly betrayed. Their school, the place that let them be themselves, was taken away. And here she was, wearing an emblem, of a house that supported otherwise. No wonder they were glaring at her. She would've glared at her, if the tables were turned. "Hey, all of you," she shouted, standing up from her seat. Everyone's attention turned to her. Most of the faces were scowling, glaring at her with dislike. "I'm sorry," she nodded.

"Sorry for what?" asked Seamus Finnigan, who had been sitting at the table next to theirs.

"Sorry that you hate my house so much," responded Lixella.

Seamus shifted in his seat a bit, still staring up at her, but now with a bit less disgust on his face. "Why are you apologizing for?" he asked skeptically.

"'cuz she's a good person, ya git," said Jynx

"Well," said Seamus, "Jus' coz one of you's apologizing, don't mean I'm gonna act any different towards tha rest of you."

"what's she evah done to ya?" asked Jynx, glaring at him defensively.

"It's not what she's done," nodded Seamus, "It's what all of you've done."

"I haven't done nothin'," said Jynx. She shot out of her chair, staring at Seamus with disgust.

"You wanna fight me, eh?" Seamus stood up as well.

"Sit down, Jynx," Lixella shook her head. She put both hands on Jynx's shoulders and slowly pushed her back into her seat.

"Yeah," Seamus nodded, "Jus' go sit back down, like the cowards you are."

"Lay off, Seamus," said Neville, "She was only trying to apologize."

"She should stop acting like a victim," said Seamus, "And why are you defending her, Neville?"

"Because I don't believe in splitting people up by house," said Neville, "If we start splitting people up into categories, so we can hate them, then we're not any better than those lousy death eaters, are we?"

Seamus said nothing to this, but turned back to Ginny Weasley, who had been sitting across from him. Neville gave a reassuring nod to Lixella. She wondered if what she did was a good idea. In her mind it was. She didn't want to be seen as another one of the sour Slytherin types. She wouldn't deny that there were some really foul people in her house. Sometimes she wondered why she was placed into it.

"That was a really wonderful thing to say, Neville," nodded Luna, "I don't think people should be split up by house. It causes terrible rivalries."

"But, life isn't much fun without a little conflict," said Jynx

"True," said Luna, "It's all good fun, until someone takes it too far."

"That's how wars are started, I suppose," said Neville.

Whatever topics came up after that were completely lost from Lixella. She had suddenly become very distracted by the view outside of the window. The way that the landscape was rushing by them, was rather exciting. Though, she figured that was just because of the speed of the train. She was happy to be going back to Hogwarts. It was one of the few places she preferred to spend her time. School was never an importance with her. But, that wasn't what she enjoyed about Hogwarts. She enjoyed the other parts of it, the parts that she got to spend with people like Luna and Neville. The long hours she would spend in the Slytherin common room with Jynx. Complaining about how text books teach you nothing, and will get you nowhere in the real world. Even though they both knew nothing about the real world to begin with. It was just comfortable, to be so far away from the burdens of her family, and the problems of the world. It was nice to be in a place that surrounded her with people that she cared about, and let her be who she wanted to be. It was, truly, one of the few places where she felt at home.

The train suddenly came to a jerking stop. "We can't be there yet," said Lixella, "It's hardly been long enough."

"That's an awfully strange place to stand," said Luna, gazing out of the window.

The rest of them, along with the entire car, rushed to the windows to get a better look. Standing outside was a line of death eaters. There were at least twenty of them, lined in large gaps up and down the sides of the rail.

"Can they just stop a train like this?" asked Jynx

"They're probably checking to see if Harry's here," said Neville, glaring out of the window.

"Seems awfully rude," responded Lixella, "They could've waited until we actually _got_ to Hogwarts."

There was a clicking noise, along with the shuffling of feet. Two men entered the car, dressed in black robes. Lixella did not recognize them, which was surprising since she had been seeing so many death eaters lately. They made their way through the sliding door, causing the whole car to go deathly quiet. Cormack McClaggen stood up as they passed him, "my father _will_ hear about this," he said, but quickly sat back down.

Lixella let out a small, well covered, chuckle at his choice of words. As she knew very well, from experience and the stories of others, that those were certainly not Cormack's words to claim. That catch phrase was very much the property of Draco.

She looked over to Neville, only to find him glaring daggers at the death eaters, shaking his head in disgust. He stood up, "Hey losers," he said, with a full and unwavering stance, "He's not here." Lixella smirked at this, she was quite happy to see this new Neville. She remembered last year, when he would go on about his strict grandmother. It usually bored her, the way he was so non-defiant. She wasn't sure where or when Neville acquired this new attitude towards life, but she wasn't complaining.

One of the death eaters stepped a bit closer to him. He had rather shaggy looking brown hair, and a face that dramatized his bone structure. "We're not here for Potter," spat the death eater, "Though, we would be more than happy to take you to Azkaban if you would like to go in his place?"

Neville kept eye contact with him. He didn't need to say a word, for the defiance was plastered across his face. The other death eater, who was tall with well groomed hair, the color of rusted metal, spoke up. "We're looking for a Miss Lovegood," he said, peering around the cart. Lixella looked over to Luna, whose eyes were wider than usual. For the first time, she looked as though she was paying full attention to reality. "Might any of you know where she is?" asked the taller death eater. Neville shifted slightly in his seat, turning himself in front of Luna. Thankfully these weren't the death eaters that had visited her on Christmas. "No one?" he asked, "Well one of you must know what she looks like." Still and heavy silence hung over the cart. There were glances exchanged between students. Each of them, though they tried not to, glanced over to Luna at one point. Neville just kept himself well rooted in his seat, trying to shield as much of Luna as he could without them noticing.

Lixella could hardly breath. For the first time, she was terrified of the death eaters. She wanted them to leave the cart, and just say that Luna wasn't on the train. Was this the only cart they were checking? Certainly not, they would know that she was a Ravenclaw. So, why bother checking the other house cars? She wondered how the other carts were holding up. She turned to her left, knowing that, somewhere in that direction, was the Slytherin cart. The atmosphere in there would be completely different. In fact, she could bet that most of the people in there knew the death eaters on the train. They were probably even family members. It was almost funny to her, with how different that cart would be handling this situation. The students in there were probably just sitting back, waiting for the search to finish; As if this were merely a mundane, routine happening.

The door cart clicked open again, and a younger looking man with a tired look stepped in. He walked over to the other two. They were filling up the aisle, which strangely bothered Lixella. "She isn't in any of the Ravenclaw carts," said the younger man, "None of the others either."

"Is she in here?" asked the taller death eater, "Do you see her?"

Luna ducked down a little bit. Lixella guessed that this was one of the men that had visited her on Christmas. She looked terrified, her breathing was growing more uneven. Neville, very discretely, wrapped his right hand around her small wrist, trying to calm her down. The younger death eater walked up and down the cart, trying to get a good look at everyone. The students stared up at him, some looking terrified, others looking disgusted.

Then, Lixella's heart skipped a beat, as his arm extended out a pointed finger. It pointed straight at Luna, "That's her, there," he said. Before Lixella could blink, the death eaters were trying to wrestle Luna away from the window. Neville was putting up a rather good fight. Jynx even stood up at one point, and managed to pry one of them away. She shoved him to the back of the cart. "Oi!" she shouted, "You stay away from her! She ain't done nothin' to any of ya!"

"Sit back down girl!" shouted the death eater, he drew out his wand and muttered some spell. In an instant, Jynx was forced to the floor. Lixella shot out of her seat, drawing her wand, "Hey! Lay off of her, asshole!" she shouted. Jynx got up off of the floor, and proceeded to position herself beside Lixella, blocking the younger one by the door. Seamus and Ginny were holding off the shaggy brown haired one. Neville kept his eye contact with the taller one.

"you're not taking her anywhere," spat Neville, "Not while all of us are here."

The three death eaters glanced to one another, probably trying to devise a plan.

"_Crucio_," shouted the younger one and the shaggy brown haired one. Lixella, Seamus, Ginny, and Jynx fell to the floor, screaming in pain.

The taller death eater merely flicked his wand at Neville, pinned him to the floor, and then flung him into the back doorway. "Neville!" shouted Luna. She reached for her wand, but was disarmed before she could utter another spell. The taller death eater grabbed her right arm, and jerked her out of the chair.

"You'll be paying a nice visit to Mr. Malfoy," he said. He motioned to the others, and they stopped their torturing. Neville chased after them as they left, his wand drawn; But, just as he reached the door, the train jerked back into motion. In an instant, the death eaters were gone. The rest of the ride was heavy and full of terrifying questions about what was going to happen to Luna. Neville, especially, was sick with worry. Though, none of them wanted to answer those questions, one thing was for sure. "You two seem like you've actually got some sense," said Ginny.

Seamus nodded, "I'm sorry," he said, "You guys are different from what I thought."

"Thanks," nodded Jynx, "You ain't 'alf bad yourself. I've always been an admirer of ya work."

Seamus let out a rather loud laugh at this statement, "glad to know someone finds it entertaining, besides me."

It seemed that Lixella and Jynx were constantly having to prove themselves to the rest of the school. After all, they were the ones that broke the stereotype that Slytherins were all a bunch of evil pricks. It was nice to know that, slowly, they were making their difference known.

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><p>The train came to a stop at Hogsmeade station. They filed out of the train car in single file. Lixella grabbed her bag and headed out of the doorway, Jynx behind her and Neville in front. The outside was a mass of students, trying to shove their way towards the carriages. They made their way through the crowd, and up the hill, looking for a free carriage. They were about to come up on an open one, when Lixella looked up to find Draco standing only a few feet away. Time almost slowed down as she looked from Draco to Neville. She knew what was about to happen, but was not fast enough to stop it. In an instant, Neville had drawn his wand and cornered Draco.<p>

"What are they doing with her, Malfoy?" he shouted.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Longbottom," spat Draco, reaching for his wand.

"They said they were taking her to see your dad," shouted Neville, he moved in closer, "If they lay one single hand on her Malfoy, I will end you."

"Neville!" shouted Lixella. She rushed up the path, and grabbed Neville's wand arm. "Stop it!" she shouted, forcing it back down, "It isn't his fault."

"Lixella, How can you defend him?" asked Neville

"He didn't do anything," she said, "He probably doesn't even know what happened."

"He's one of them, Lixella," said Neville, "I'm pretty sure he's got a good idea of what they're doing."

"Oh trust me, I don't," said Draco, "Not like they tell us much."

"Probably because you…hold on," Neville looked puzzled, "Us? Do-don't you mean me?…not like they tell _me_ much." His eyes shot over to Lixella, then back to Draco, and once more to Lixella. She just stared back at him with a heavy heart, looking ashamed. "You," he stuttered, "You're one of _them_, aren't you?"

"Neville, It's not like that," she shook her head

"Not like…" he looked completely betrayed, "You aren't denying it, then? You really are one of _them_?"

Lixella did not say anything to this, she just tried to avoid eye contact. She stood in an awkward sort of stance, holding onto her left arm. "I can't believe you," Neville shook his head, "I thought you were different, Lixella." He stared at her, shaking his head in disgust, then turned and walked back to the other carriage. She watched as he shoved past Seamus, Ginny, and Jynx, swung the door open, and turned away from her. The other three just stared back at her curiously. Lixella knew that, in only a few moments, they too would know about her so called "allegiance." The two new friends, and wonderful new reputation, she had worked so hard to make on the train, would be lost in a matter of minutes. Once again, it seemed like everything was against her. She was hoping to have some kind of an escape from the death eater world, at Hogwarts. But now, it was clear that she would never escape it. No matter what she did, she was stuck in this situation. Stuck in this world that she did not, and could not, be a part of.

She stared at the cart, watching as the others climbed in and began asking Neville questions. Her heart felt so heavy, it could've been made of lead. Then, a larger and warmer hand entwined it's fingers with hers. She looked up at him, expecting to be instantly furious; But, no such feeling came. There wasn't much of anything, really. He looked down at her with an expression that was partially apologetic. It wasn't so much that he was sorry for what had just happened, as mush as it was that he understood what she was going through. He always knew what she was going through. Lixella let out a sigh, and took one last look over to the other carriage. The people in it were now looking back at her with disgust, and some form of surprise. All except for Jynx, who was just looking at her apologetically. Her gaze fell to the ground, knowing that the truth had been revealed. Draco unlinked his hand, and wrapped an arm around her. He turned her away from the sight of the carriage down the hill, and lead her towards his. It was quite clear, what side she was going to be staying on.

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><p>Oh...oh dear, they all know now! This should make school an interesting place to be! Just wait until next chapter, when Lixella totally bitch slaps one of the teachers! That one will be fun to write!<p>

Thanks for reading you guys, I hope you're having a good week! I am stuck in exams, so updating may be a bit shifty!

time for reviews!

DropDeadAlyssaa: he so isn't given enough credit throughout the series. Though, I think that's because J.K. wanted to leave most of it up to us to figure out. I mean, she had so much to tell. But, that is what fanfiction is for, giving the characters who don't get enough credit, their own couple of minutes of fame. I'm glad you're enjoying it so far, I hope I don't disappoint!

DizzyPotter: I am totally finishing this one first! I can't write both at once, it's not in my nature. Plus, finishing this one will help me revise the other one. Oh god i love that part in the movie, and McGonagall fighting with her flames of doom, she is such a BAMF! Yes, Hunger games...because Effie Trinket is SO AWESOME! I love her so much! I know a lot of people compare he to Umbridge but I don't think the two are alike...Effie is definitely cool! and Umbridge should just go fall in a pit of vipers!

altissimorangerocks: That was not intentional, but it is awesome!

FeyFaerie: I just imagined Molly Weasley actually glaring at Chuck Norris, with a plate of spinach in front of him, holding a very intimidating spatula. Oh gosh, Filch/ Mrs. Norris...yes, this is happening...oh I can't wait for this! It will be all too much fun! And I would love to read your story! I can't wait to see it pop up on my alert list!

xXMizz Alec VolturiXx: the men in red robes are SO VERY IMPORTANT TO HER CHILDHOOD! You don't even know, but we will get there soon...do not worry. Just remember the window. And Voldy is so predictable, he really is!

Thank you for the reviews you guys...I hope to hear from you all soon!

have a great day! Because IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!


	28. Parchment 28: A History Lesson

Phew, Chapter 28, and I am almost done with exam week!

So, here's a wonderful little chapter, in which Lixella experiences the new Hogwarts!

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Achieving the Impossible<span>

Parchment 28: A History Lesson

The first few days of school were proving to be more than Lixella could handle. It seemed that, at every turn, people were accusing her of things she hadn't done. The news of her being a death eater had spread faster than wildfire. She got a nice taste of this, for the first time, on her first day of potions class. No matter what she did, it seemed that Slughorn, who she had never much cared for in the first place, was trying his hardest to avoid helping her in any way possible. She did not mind the lack of attention from him, but did mind that she wasn't learning much. The great hall was proving to be her enemy. Every time she walked in, she would hear whispers and murmurs of people accusing her of committing false crimes. These ranged from torturing innocent muggles, to killing off muggle-borns simply because she got bored. Around three days back into classes, she got rather tired of these rumors.

It was yet another bright morning, and the sight of damp sunlight cascaded through the windows of the great hall. Students filed in for breakfast, sitting and chatting about their latest gossip. Lixella entered the large doorways, completely unaccompanied, and in a rather put off mood. She was in a huff all the way to the Slytherin table. A strange hush seemed to fall to her right, as she made her way between the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. She paid no mind to this common occurrence, seeing that she was too busy being angered by the run in with Seamus Finnigan that morning. He had taken a moment to ask her what it felt like to know that she was such a terrible person. She had nearly taken her wand to his throat, saying that she was more than happy to do to him what she was going to do to the death eater back on the train.

She practically crashed herself into the seat, trying to brush away her anger. It was far too apparent, for she looked across the table to find Jynx staring at her with concern. "You alright?" asked Jynx.

"Oh, just peachy," sighed Lixella, drenching her voice in sarcasm.

"You look like you're going to take the mickey out of the next person that talks to you," said Pansy.

"Oh," nodded Lixella, "I am. But, only if they're a dumbass about their choice of words."

"Personally I wouldn't mind watching you go off on someone," said Draco, "It's usually quite entertaining."

"Yeah," nodded Blaise, "You remember last year, when she went off on Pansy? Ow!"

Pansy cleared her throat loudly, after nearly stabbing him in the side with a fork.

"What was that hun?" she asked, smiling sweetly.

"Nothing," muttered Blaise

"Good to know nothing's changed since then, eh Blaise?" nodded Draco

This comment acquired a very diabolical glare from Pansy. "Aren't you forgetting something, Draco?" she asked nonchalantly.

"N-no?" he said in a puzzled tone.

Pansy peered up and down the long table, until her eyes fell on what she was searching for. She got up from her seat, walked a few feet down the table, and plucked a green apple out of a bowl. She then returned to her seat, and sat it right in front of Draco, smirking with delight. "I didn't want you going one more minute without it!" she squeaked, "I know how close you two are."

Draco merely sighed, "I am not obsessed with apples," he muttered

"I don't see you refusing it," smirked Pansy

"Parkinson!" Lixella screeched with laughter, "You are just too much."

She reached a hand out to Pansy, who greeted it with a well deserved high five. Their laughter died down, eventually. It was replaced, however, by something less desirable. There came a sound of low whispers, from behind them. Actually, they weren't low at all, they were just barely audible. Lixella wasn't paying much attention until she heard the words, "death eater," and, "that girl." This caught her attention so much, that she ceased her conversation in order to better listen in on the Gryffindor table.

"How do you think she got in?" asked one of them.

"I bet it was a family thing," said another, "You know, being pure-blood and all. It was probably her father that introduced her to it."

"I bet he taught her how to kill too," said another.

That was it, Lixella could not sit by and listen to these lies be spread anymore. She was tired of the student body chatting it up behind her back, acting as if she couldn't hear them. What was worse, they were bringing her father into this. She let out a rather loud, exasperated sigh, and turned around, swinging her legs over the bench. Very gently, and having to restrain herself from physical violence, she tapped one of the Gryffindors on the back. One of them, a younger boy with blond hair and a pudged face, stared at her in shock; As if he was a small child getting caught stealing cookies.

"Pardon me," Lixella said in her kindest of voices, "But, I couldn't help but overhear you talking about my father. Oh yes," she nodded, "I could hear you. Now," she looked to the three of them, "would you like to make that last comment to my face. Or, would you like to keep whispering as if I can't hear you, when I am only 2 feet away."

The Gryffindor didn't respond to her at first, but merely eyed her up and down. "It isn't any of your business what we were saying," he said.

"Oh," Lixella looked down at the floor, "But you see, it very much is my business. As it is about me, was it not?" she waited for a response, but none came. "You see," She said, "I would think that news, about me, would be directed towards me, before being spread out to the student body. If you had come to me with this information first, I would have informed you that it was false. But, instead you chose to whisper it out to everyone." She leaned forward, "The next time you have something to say about me, say it to my face, instead of whispering behind my back." Her gaze shifted to the crimson and gold emblem on his robes. All three of the Gryffindors were glaring at her now, she merely leaned back against the table. "You know," she said, "For a house that prides itself in being courageous, you people really are a bunch of cowards."

Lixella turned back around, quite happy with her choice of words. The three Gryffindors were left gawking in her direction. They instantly turned to one another, most likely talking about how terrible of a person she was, and how she must not understand anything about their house, because she's a Slytherin.

"You're right," Pansy nodded to Draco, "She is entertaining when she's going off on someone else."

"Always fun to watch you work," said Draco

"I think tha' one kid nearly pissed his pants," laughed Jynx, "Did you see how pale he got, when he figured out you 'ad been listenin'?"

"Did you see how his jaw dropped when I called him a coward," smirked Lixella, "Almost like he didn't believe I was telling the truth."

"Remind me to never get on your bad side," said Blaise

It was good to know that, while she was on an undesirable side of the fence, there were at least people here that could appreciate her. She was still very worked up about Neville's reaction to her being a death eater. He didn't even give her a chance to explain herself. He just assumed that she was instantly evil. It was as if everything he had come to know about her, was shattered by that one small moment. It almost sickened her, how easily a reputation, that had been built through hard work, could fall. She wondered, for a moment, if Luna would've acted the same way?

The group of them filed into Lixella's least favorite class, Dark Arts class. It wasn't so much that she disliked the subject of Dark Arts. It was more so that she found the professor, Amycus Carrows, to be an utter, and complete waste of air. She was convinced that she could spin circles of knowledge around him. Seeing as her family was so immersed in the subject, and she had raised the dead; She only saw fit that she had a bit more training in this field than the professor. Though, she was not going to openly express these feelings, as they would only lead to more gossip about her so called "allegiances."

Neville gave her a rather passive look as she walked in. He merely stared at her for a moment, shook his head, and turned away. Really? He wasn't even trying to hide his newfound hatred of her. Had she not been so guilt ridden by him, she would have punched him. In fact, forget guilt ridden, had it not gotten her into so much trouble, she would have punched him for acting this way.

The class sat down in their respective division between houses. Slytherins in the far back left, Hufflepuffs at the right. Gryffindors in front of Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw in front of Slytherin. This seating arrangement varied between classes, but stayed consistent once it was placed. Lixella took her spot next to Jynx, and readied herself for today's wondrous spewing of knowledge. Amycus Carrows entered, looking just as sinister and ignorant as usual. With a flick of his wand, the chalk was scribbling away on the board. "As you all remember," he said, "I told you that we would be continuing our study of the cruciatus curse after the holidays. Now that you all are back, let's get started with some history on the subject." he began writing notes on the board, and Lixella sat almost motionless. It would be up there soon, in plain English, the name of one of her great relatives. Now the entire class would know that she was not only a death eater, but a descendant of one of the inventors of an unforgivable curse. "The Cruciatus curse was invented in 1672 by a man named Robert Cruxshade." Lixella's head tilted a bit at this presentation of false information. She tried to shove off the few pairs of eyes that were obviously on her. One of these was Neville, who she refused to look at because she knew this was hurting him most. "Can anyone tell me why it was invented?" No one answered Professor Carrows. Lixella knew the answer, but she did not want to break the silence and play the teacher's pet. "No one," he circled the front of the classroom, "Mr, Longbottom," Neville's attention left Lixella, she turned for a second, but could not bare the look he was giving her. He turned his attention, instead, to Professor Carrows, "Your tongue seems to be rather out of exercise," said Carrows, "Would you like to tell us?"

"No," Neville said defiantly.

Lixella was a bit confused by this. He could just answer the question, and be done with it. There was no need to be so defiant against the professor. Though, she could not blame him for wanting to be rebellious. She knew his history with this particular curse, he had told her last year. She did not want to imagine how much of a nightmare this class was for him right now.

Professor Carrows' eyes turned to near slits, "Would you like a demonstration done, instead?" he asked. Nevile knew that this meant he could either answer the question, or torture a first year.

"It was invented as a means of," he paused, swallowing disgust, "bringing pain to those who deserved it."

"And, who deserves that kind of pain?" asked Professor Carrows. Neville did not respond, but merely glared at the man. "Muggles," said Carrows nonchalantly, "Mudbloods, and general rule breakers."

Lixella couldn't believe her ears, this information was entirely false. "What?" she said aloud, and before she could blink all eyes were on her, once more.

"Do you have something to say, Miss?" Professor Carrows didn't seem to remember her name.

"Cruxshade, sir" she scowled, as static whispers echoed throughout the classroom.

"Cruxshade, eh?" he said curiously, "Well, Miss Cruxshade, seeing as this is your family's curse, would you like to come up here and help with this lecture?"

Lixella did not move, "I am waiting, Miss Cruxshade," said Carrows. Lixella got up from her seat, her heart racing from nerves. "As you may or may not know class," said Professor Carrows, "The Cruxshade family is historically known for their dueling. This curse was, most likely, developed as a means of defeating their enemies, swift and clean."

She reached the front of the classroom, and looked out on all of the students. Most of them were looking to her with either fear or hatred, albeit the Slytherins, who were just apathetically sitting in the corner. From this view, Slytherin house really did appear to be a bunch of pricks. What with their lack of caring towards these barbaric teachings. "I suspect that your father has schooled you in dueling, Lixella?" asked Professor Carrows.

"Since I was four," she responded, not making eye contact. She was too distracted by the slaughter of her family history on the board. It had been twisted and morphed into something terrible.

"No doubt you've been taught this particular curse, eh?" said Professor Carrows, "Seeing as it is family history." She couldn't deny it, the curse had been used on her a few times. Her father did not hold back when teaching her how to duel.

"Yes," she responded, still keeping her eyes on the board, growing more and more angry with every twisted lie.

"Good," said Professor Carrows, "Then, perhaps you can give the class a little demonstration of your training?"

No, she did not want to demonstrate anything.

"I would recommend using Mr, Longbottom," he smirked, "He makes a rather nice testing subject." Lixella locked eyes with Neville. No, she couldn't do that to him. She knew his history with this particular curse. She took two steps forward, causing a few gasps from around the room. She paused, and turned back to Professor Carrows, "I was taught that I had to mean it sir," she said, holding a stone cold expression, "And, I have nothing against Neville."

"Well, just teach him a lesson," nodded the Professor

She turned back towards Neville, "A lesson you say?" she moved a bit closer, raising her wand to him. Neville gave her the kind of look that would, if in any other situation, make her feel like a monster; But, she knew what she was doing.

"Yes," nodded Professor Carrows, "And make sure he understands."

The whole class sat on the near edge of their seats, waiting for her next move. She wouldn't? Was she really as heartless as the gossip said she was? Lixella's lips curled into a sly smile, and she whipped around, pointing her wand at the blackboard.

"First off, the year wasn't 1672, as they would like you to believe," she flicked her wand, and the chalk scribbled out the year of 1672, "Also, his name wasn't Robert Cruxshade," the chalk forcefully scribbled out the name and began correcting it. "We don't name people Robert," she spat, "His name was Rodnick Luxton Arthuras Cruxshade. Which," she turned to the class, "sounds much better in my full opinion, don't you think? Much more befitting of a famous wizard, at least," she peered over to Carrows, "Better than Robert." This caused several snickers from around the room. Most came from the Slytherin corner, but she caught a few others laughing as well. Lixella smirked and turned back to the board.

"It all started around the time of the dark ages, you see." Lixella started making her way back to the front, scribbling out the lies with more growing force. "Around the time of the first ever witch burning," the chalk was creating a cloud of smoke with how fast she was scribbling. "You see, my ancient uncle was getting tired of having the muggles burn witches and wizards," she said, "so, he figured that he would invent a spell to fight back with." She reached the front, and turned back around to the class, " It was designed so that, when used properly, it would let them know the pain that they themselves were inflicting upon magic folk. He thought that, by letting them know how much they were hurting others, the muggles would stop the burnings. Sort of an eye for an eye kind of deal."

She scribbled that across the board. "When it was first made, it wasn't meant as a means of torturing muggles, simply because they are muggles. It was created so that it could prevent them, and us, from spreading anymore kind of pain. Now, this is why you have to mean it, in order to use it." she turned to the class, "Are you writing this down?" she smirked, and several people, mostly Ravenclaws, leaned over their parchments. "Good, because here's the tricky part," she turned back to the board, "In order to properly use this spell, you must have a very good reason to want to cause the person physical harm. You cannot just waive your wand, and cause someone such mind boggling torture, you have to mean it."

"Therefore," she turned to Professor Carrows, "using it to pin students against one another, is a sad and sorry waste of it's potential. Though," she went back to the rapid scribbling of chalk, "throughout history, this spell, which was first a means of justice…was twisted and corrupted into what you know it as now. It was given the title of 'Dark Magic' when it was first used by an actual dark wizard, who only sought to use it on innocent people, for his own means of gaining power. This, of course, is the wrong way to use this spell. But, do not use it righteously, either, you may have been told." Her tone grew a bit darker, "I warn you, this is not a righteous spell. And no one should ever want to physically cause someone else this much pain and suffering. This is a spell to be used on those who have brought hurt and anguish to others, merely as a taste of their own medicine. It is complex and highly misunderstood."

She turned to Professor Carrows, holding the chalk in her hand, "It wasn't some spell to be used on petty little first years that can't shut their mouths." Lixella leaned in closer to Professor Carrows. She glared up at him with a dark and stony expression, making sure that he would hear her next statement. "I don't need you teaching me how to use my own family's spells," she venomously spat, "Professor." She chucked the chalk onto the table, it landed in the holder with a 'clink'. She then turned back to the students.

With a look of utter disbelief from the class, Lixella marched back to her desk and plopped herself into the chair. She put her elbows on the desk top, and leaned back in her seat, as if nothing had just happened. Everything was silent for a few moments, as everyone tried to take in the events. "How dare you talk back to your professor like that," scolded Professor Carrows.

"I wasn't talking back, Professor," nodded Lixella with an almost crude politeness, "I was teaching Longbottom a lesson," she smirked, motioning to Neville, "just like you told me to."

Professor Carrow gritted his teeth, scowling in hatred of her equal ability to twist words. "Class dismissed," he spat, turning and heading for his office.

Lixella couldn't help but let out a small smile, watching the professor walk away. "Ruddy good show," said Jynx, clapping her on the back so hard that it nearly knocked the wind out of her. "You shoulda seen 'is face when you turned on 'im," Jynx fantasized into the distance, "Bloody brilliant."

"I bet he looked something li…" She was interrupted by her chair being flung around, and a pair of lips crashing into hers. The surprise of it made her heart jump at first. She hardly had time to breath, hardly any time to think. So, instead, she just went with it; Letting him kiss her as if she was going to be stolen away in seconds.

"Okay," mumbled Blaise, "Try to not suck too much of each other's faces off. Won't you?"

Draco, reluctantly, freed her from his liplock, finally allowing her to breath. But, before she could inhale he grabbed her by the wrist and jerked her out of her seat, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "What?" Lixella asked, puzzled by his sudden necessity to claim her.

"C'mon," he nodded, glancing towards the door, "I want to show you off to everyone."

"Show me off," she said as they made their way out of the doorway, "Why?"

"Because," he was looking in every direction, "I want to make sure people know that you…are…mine."

"She isn't arm candy, ya prick," spat Jynx.

"I didn't say she was," Draco responded, as they made their way down the stairs, "I just want to make sure that…" He stopped mid-sentence, and Lixella looked down the hallway to find Theodore Nott, standing a few feet from the door with Daphne and Pansy. He was sending rather faint glances towards Lixella as she walked by. She felt the arm around her shoulder, tighten a bit, pulling her in closer, "that they know who you're with," scowled Draco.

"I did always take you for the jealous type," said Lixella.

Lixella really did hope that this was a phase. That Theodore Nott would stop popping in and out of her life eventually. She had gone through things like this before. Jonny was plenty jealous of nearly any other guy that came near her. He nearly cut up Billy Boyer once, for telling her that she was, "a rather bodacious chick." She did not want to go through with that again. She did not like overly-jealous guys, even though she found the protectiveness rather cute. It wasn't that she needed protecting, that was for sure; It was more so that she found it cute when other guys thought that she needed them to protect her.

The train ride crossed her mind for a second. The image of Neville, holding onto Luna's wrist, and rushing out of the train car after her, flashed through her mind. She wondered if Luna was okay. She looked up to find Neville, standing off to the side of the hallway, talking to Seamus. She smiled at him, thinking that maybe the events of the class would redeem her somehow. He did not return her smile, but instead stared at her with almost disappointment.

She stopped walking, which caused very confused looks from Draco, Blaise, and Jynx. "What's your problem?" she asked to Neville. He turned around, looking first to the group behind her, then glaring next to her at Draco, and landing his gaze, finally, on her. He didn't respond verbally at first, so she took it as an opportunity to continue. "I mean, I didn't do anything to you," she said.

"You've done plenty," he said, "Trust me."

"Really, Neville?" asked Jynx, "She was tryin' to 'elp you."

"Help 'im how?" asked Seamus, "By givin' a lesson on 'er twisted family history, instead?"

"It's not twisted," she said, "Were you listening at all? I just gave you an entire explanation about why that spell isn't terrible."

"Isn't terrible?" Neville asked in shock, "What do you mean, isn't terrible? Do you know what that spell has done to people?"

"Oh, trust me," nodded Draco, remembering the many times that he had to watch that spell used on Lixella. "She's well aware."

"Well, of course she is," said Neville, "Her family invented it."

"Really, Neville?" asked Lixella, staring at him in disbelief. He was judging her, because of something an ancient family member did. It was as if everything he had come to know about her, was suddenly a lie. She looked him straight in the eye, trying to find something to tell her that they would be friends again. Nothing came to her, she would just have to accept that she could not please everyone. Try as she might, he was never going to accept her. Not now that he knew the truth.

Who was he to judge her? For something as silly as her family history. She expected that kind of behavior from a Slytherin, not a Gryffindor. Then again, Harry had acted the same way. Assuming that she was pure evil, because of that mark on her left arm. For some reason, she had never thought Neville to be the judgmental type. She always thought he was more open in accepting others. At least, he was last year, when none of this really mattered. "I thought you were different," she shook her head, watching his face change. For a second, she thought she saw some type of remorse. She shook it off, and headed down the hallway. She would just have to accept it. This was war, and no matter what she did, she would never win the way that she wanted to.

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><p>Yay! another chapter down! this is far too much fun *spins around in chair* and I should go to sleep, because it is like 5 a.m. here!<p>

I have a question, and I need some serious help with it. I've been trying to pick out a good song for these two. I have a couple that I like, but none that fit them perfectly. If you guys have any ideas, shoot em by me :D

Thanks for reading! Don't forget to tell me what you think ^_^

so many reviews to respond to:

DropDeadAlysaa: I think I already responded to you, but whatever. Thanks for reading my stories, you are awesome! I hope that you enjoy this chapter as much!

DizzyPotter: I know, LUUUUUNNNAAAA! She is my favorite character, so you can guess that I was just ecstatic about writing that chapter! Plus, I ship Neville and Luna so hard, it isn't even funny! and yes, Poor Lixella is just getting crap for decisions that weren't her's to make. Kind of sucks, but it's true.

FeyFaerie: Every time I played that scene in my head, Neville always acted the same. That was part of why I wanted to put that chapter in here. It's all about how, no matter what, you can't please everyone. And also, because no one person is completely right in their assumptions. You never get a very good eye into the minds of the bad guys in the books. I love J.K. Rowling, but I thought I could put a little more emphasis on the fact that Draco is just stuck where he doesn't want to be. But, I wanted to show that, through Lixella's situation. On a side note, you said Forris several times...and I do not understand this word?

xXMizzAlecVolturiXx: You're welcome! I like giving presents on my birthday, it makes me feel important XD well, here's another chapter, I hope you enjoyed it!

altissimorangerocks: There...perhaps...may be...can you imagine their kids? they would have the worst accents! and no one could understand what they were saying! I also imagine that they would be twice a pyromanic! XD oh, this pairing must happen now!If for nothing else, but their wonderful children!

RaineAmorial: Yes, I figured that Neville would have a bad impression with any and all death eaters...blaming Bellatrix! Not to mention that Lixella is related to the person who invented the curse that caused his parents to go mad. So, it's going to be hard for him to trust her anytime soon. It sucks, but they are in the middle of a wizarding war, and everyone is having problems trusting who they once thought were their friends!

Thanks for the birthday wishes you guys! I'm getting to make butterbeer now that I'm 21! WOO HOO!

See y'all in the next chapter!


	29. Parchment 29: Hugs and Butterfly Kisses

Why hello there!

So I thought I would explain to you guys why I haven't been updating. Summer has just started and I am in the midst of finding a summer job, moving back into my bedroom at home, dealing with general family and friend stuffs, and I'm starting to write my first novel! Also, I am currently preparing for this convention that I religiously attend called Animazement! Which involves preparing cosplaying gear and finding monies to fund these activities!

This is an awful lot to take in, plus my room is a wreck XD

Also, since it is the first week of summer, I will be starting on my absurd fanfiction!So, check up to see if I have posted that ^_^

It is going to start with Drapple and end with Voldyx cupcakesx bunnies! The in between have not been placed yet, though there will be a Deanx Casx Pie fic, for all the Supernatural fans, also a Deanx Impala fic!

So, I am putting this story on hiatus because my brain is in too many places to function properly with story writing! I know, it sucks, and I feel kind of bad for doing it. I am sorry! But, I have to take some time off :(

I will be back fairly soon, it won't take an entire month I promise!

In the meantime you should go read some fanfiction from Dizzi Penn, Feyfaerie, and DizzyPotter!

Their stories are developing quite nicely, and I highly reccomend them ^_^ Very Enjoyable!

If you would like a good laugh and haven't read it yet already, go read _My Immortal_...it is just brilliant!

( I recommend the commentary by MarikaT, it is far too entertaining for this world)

Thank you for your patience, I promise to be back soon!

Hugs and Butterfly Kisses,

The Neon-Panda


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